


Bitten

by Likhoradka



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Steampunk, Illustrated, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-26
Updated: 2016-02-04
Packaged: 2018-01-13 19:44:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 63,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1238611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Likhoradka/pseuds/Likhoradka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam and Dean are hunters on the trail of Dr. Azazel. While searching an abandoned lab for any sign of the doctor's current whereabouts, Dean receives a fatal bite from a cockatrice. The Winchesters are forced to rely on the help of a mad scientist to save Dean's life, but at what cost? Illustrated.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I blame [Karu](http://archiveofourown.org/users/HappyFunBallXD/).

Dean should have been paying more attention. At least, a little more attention to where he was putting his hand. Tiny, sharp teeth pierced his skin, and a freezing cold seeped through his hand. He pulled his left hand back in shock and stared at the small cockatrice that was hissing at him. He pulled out his gun with his good hand and shot at the creature as it fled. His first two attempts missed, but the third flew true, straight through the cockatrice’s head. It took a few more steps before stumbling over, dead and spasming.

Dean’s breathing quickly became ragged as ice pulsed up his arm. He knew what was going to come. There was no stopping the venom of a cockatrice. He slumped onto a cluttered workbench of the small lab he had been searching and raised his left hand in front of his face. Already, the pads of his fingers were turning a soft grey, and he was having trouble bending them. He didn’t look up as he heard heavy footsteps run into the lab.

‘Dean!’

Dean dropped his hand and shook his head. ‘It’s too late, Sam,’ he said quietly. He watched with a disconnected fascination as his brother crouched in front of him and took his hand. Long hair obstructed Sam’s face, and Dean reached out to move it aside. ‘You need a haircut.’

‘And _you_ need a doctor!’ Sam said as he looked around for anything he could use. ‘Keep moving your fingers,’ he instructed. ‘Don’t let it take hold!’ His eyes landed on a strap of leather, and he quickly grabbed it. He struggled with Dean, forcing his brother to remove his coat. He pushed Dean’s shirtsleeve up and tied a tourniquet just below Dean’s elbow.

The town they had stayed the night in wasn’t too far away. Surely, they had a hospital. And if that didn’t work, then Sam remembered passing a sign that led to the office of mad scientist. He hoped he wouldn’t have to rely on the latter.

.-.-.-.-.

Dean knew what was happening. He had seen it happen plenty of times to unfortunate hunters and civilians alike. First, the ice-cold feeling of stone running through your veins, weighing down your muscles, muddying your mind until you couldn’t think straight. Then came the hallucinations. He couldn’t trust what his eyes were seeing. He could no longer feel his hand. Hell, he couldn’t even _see_ his hand. Every time he turned his head to look or try to raise his arm, he would catch sight of a tentacle or a wing. Five minutes ago—if he could trust his judgment of time, which he probably couldn’t—he could have sworn his hand had been replaced by a carrot.

He was being carried through an orchard by a moose. In a flash, his eyes focused on his brother and the wooden buildings and painted signs of a familiar town passing by in the background. So, not a moose.

‘Sam…Sam, it’s no use,’ Dean managed to slur. He felt so cold, and his arm (or what he could feel of it) felt heavy. He tried to move his hand. Tried to see what was happening. Instead of a foreign appendage, he saw his hand. The grey had taken over his whole hand, and patches were appearing along his wrist and up his forearm. His fingers were frozen in a partially bent position. It wouldn’t be too much longer, now. Once the stone reached his heart, the rest of his body would quickly follow.

Sam was speaking to him. Or squawking at him. He couldn’t be sure with the beak that Sam had suddenly sprouted. He didn’t have much time left, so he whispered his goodbyes as best he could as he shivered in his brother’s claws. He shook his head as he was bumped around. No, Sam didn’t have claws. Sam wasn’t a crab or lobster or… What _was_ Sam? _Who_ was Sam? Was he supposed to care?

The moose was back, and it was threatening a small dog. Dean tried to tell the moose to leave the dog alone, but he was gently pulled aside. He looked over and was blinded by a bright light. The light faded and in its place stood a beautiful angel. The angel stared at him, bewildered, before smiling at him.

‘Everything is going to be all right,’ the angle spoke with a gruff voice.

So he was dead. At least, he made it to Heaven. He had been certain that he had earned a one-way ticket to Hell. But why did Heaven feel so cold? And why was that stupid moose there, too?

Something tightened around Dean’s arm, and there was sharp pain in his neck. The angel and the rest of the world faded away, and Dean fell into the cold, black abyss of night.

.-.-.-.-.

There was a soft, rhythmic noise in the dark. One-two. One-two. One-two… Dean frowned as he tried to place it. He was no longer cold. He was no longer in the laboratory. He slowly opened his eyes as he recognized the sound as his own heartbeat ringing through his ears.

He covered his eyes with his arm to block out the bright sunlight that sifted through a nearby window. Had it all been a dream? It had to have been. No one lived through a cockatrice bite. Not without the best doctors and equipment around, and there was no way the town they had stopped in had a hospital with such doctors.

He slowly sat up. His bed felt different. More comfortable than he had remembered. He scratched at his chest as he grunted. Apparently, he had fallen asleep in his holster. And slept on his arm, if the numbness was anything to go by.

And he had deemed it necessary to wear a glove?

He frowned as his fingers stopped moving. He finally noticed that he was not in the cheap room he and Sam had bought for the night. He was in a small bedroom. A bedroom with a lot of freaky-looking things in jars. His heart thumped loudly in his chest as he looked down, dreading what he would find.

Against his chest was his hand. Or, at least, a very good representation of his hand—as far as sleek, metal hands went. It came away from his chest as he lifted his arm. The weight was…similar. Different, but nothing too noticeable. The fingers flexed, obeying his commands as if they were his own. He turned his new hand over and marveled at the workmanship. Whoever Sam had found did an incredible job. The joints of his knuckles moved easily and soundlessly. A dull green dome of glass adorned his wrist, and he tapped it curiously with his index finger. It flashed with a bright light then gave him the time.

There was no way in hell he and Sam could afford this. This was what the rich and powerful got if they ever found themselves without a limb. Regular, working class Joes got whirring gears and ticking pieces that had to be wound up like a watch or a toy. And the response was nothing like what he was getting from the new hand.

His eyes wandered up his new arm, taking in every little detail. There were small lines weaving across, barely noticeable. Dean traced them with his fingers and flinched in surprise as a small panel popped open, revealing a small, gun-like device. His stomach clenched at the prospect of Sam having sold them into servitude just to keep him alive.

He pressed the panel down, and it gave a soft click as it locked back into place. He continued his exploration along his elbow and found that the false arm stopped just below his deltoid, wrapping snuggly around what was left of his arm. There was a bit of leather snapped to its side, attaching the arm to the harness that Dean wore, leaving his shoulder bare. He reached around and felt another piece on the opposite side as well.

He moved his arm in its full range of motion, and found that the leather straps were attached to the harness by a strong bit of elastic.

‘The arm should last, but the harness straps will have to be replaced on a regular basis.’

Dean sucked in a quick breath, his head turning to see a man standing in the doorway. He watched warily as the man entered the room and approached the bed.

‘At least, until I can come up with a better solution apart from bolting it to your humerous… Which is always an option. Crude, but effective,’ the man said as he sat on the edge of the bed next to Dean.

There was something familiar about him. Not quite as tall as Dean, a slighter build… It wasn’t the dark, messy hair that was familiar, nor the small frown on chapped lips. A small noise caught in Dean’s throat as he recognized the other’s eyes from his fevered state. The shining, curious, blue eyes of his angel. Dean felt his stomach clench as he blushed. He could just imagine what sort of lines he had been spouting off. And how bad they must have been to earn the displeased frown he was receiving.

‘Could you unclench your fist?’ the man asked. ‘And possibly relax. You won’t be needing those as of yet.’

Dean looked down. The small gun had been revealed along with vicious-looking spikes along his knuckles and the back of his new hand. He slowly unfurled his fingers and the spikes rolled back. His knuckles neatly flipped to the rounded pieces he had seen before. He leaned forward, resting his arms on his legs. He stiffened as the other man lightly touched his back with one hand and closed the open panel on his false arm with the other.

‘Who are you?’ Dean asked.

‘My name is Castiel. I…I saved you.’

Dean frowned at the hesitation in Castiel’s voice. ‘Yeah. Thanks for that. This is some job you did,’ he said, flexing his new fingers.

A glimmer of a smile crossed Castiel’s face at the compliment. ‘Thank you.’

Without the cockatrice’s venom running through him, Dean could properly appreciate the man’s smile. But that wouldn’t matter if he and Sam were too far in the hole. Unless Castiel wanted a bedmate in exchange. He would be more than willing to swing that. Certainly wouldn’t have been the first time he would have traded services with a pretty face. ‘How much?’ Dean asked, cutting right to the chase.

‘I’m sorry?’

‘How much is it gonna cost?’ Dean clarified. ‘How fucked are me and my brother?’

Castiel shook his head in confusion. ‘The cost has already been negotiated. Your brother and mine are…well… The laboratory that the two of you were investigating? They are procuring a few items for me, and the rest will be covered at a later time.’

‘Items,’ Dean repeated. He couldn’t think of anything in a mad scientist’s lab that a respectable doctor could possibly want.

‘Some…scientific equipment and materials,’ Casitel carefully replied. ‘Doctor Azazel had quite the collection…’

Dean stared at Castiel in silence as the pieces fell into place. He recalled seeing a sign in the town and making a mental note that he and Sam would have to pay a visit to the advertised office after their original job of finding a lead on Azazel. ‘You’re a fuckin’ Maddy,’ he whispered. He barely managed to duck the fist that flew at his head.

‘What the hell?!’ Dean quickly removed himself from the bed before Castiel could strangle him. He backed away as he tried to find something, anything, that he could use to fend off the crazed scientist. He paused when he noticed that the other man hadn’t moved from the bed. He had had plenty of run-ins with mad scientists, but this was…different. For one, he had never seen black veins creep up the side of _anyone’s_ face, let alone a Maddy’s.

‘Take it back, or I’ll take back my arm,’ Castiel growled with a smile. He shifted so that he was perched on the edge of the bed. His head jerked to the side as he watched Dean. ‘With _interest_.’

Dean didn’t like the way Castiel was eyeing him—a mix of hungry, amused, and angry. He especially didn’t like the way it was turning him on. …Not in the least. He took a step back and swallowed, and Castiel placed a foot on the floor. ‘Look, uh… Sorry,’ he said, taking another step. ‘Didn’t mean to offend you or anything… It’s just what you guys are called, right?’

Castiel stood and licked his lips. ‘Not by anyone… _living_ ,’ he replied. He swayed a little and blinked as he shook his head. ‘Forgive me. That was uncalled for,’ he said. ‘I am not very…appreciative of that term.’

‘I can tell,’ Dean said, keeping a careful eye on the other. The veins were gone and so was the crazed look in Castiel’s eyes. ‘Are you…okay?’

‘Yes. Of course. Why?’ Castiel asked innocently.

Before Dean could answer, the sound of voices and a door closing caught his attention. He didn’t want to take his eyes off of Castiel—just in case the scientist took another trip down Crazy Lane.

‘Hey, Cas!’ a voice called out from somewhere in the house.

‘In here, Gabriel,’ Castiel replied. He grimaced and looked down as Dean backed against the wall.

‘Stop watching that guy sleep and give us a hand! This is _your_ crap!’

Castiel winced and flicked his eyes toward Dean. He moved toward the door, half-expecting Dean to either block the way or stay as far from him as possible. ‘I’ll send your brother up,’ he said quietly as he left the room.

With Castiel gone, Dean made his way back to the bed and let his legs give out. He stared at the floor, as the shock of what had happened to him finally set in. He had been bitten by a cockatrice. He was alive. He had lost his arm, but he was _alive_. All thanks to a Maddy. By all rights, he should be dead.

He looked up as he heard familiar footsteps draw near. Relief flooded him when Sam’s face came into view, complete with sideburns and floppy hair. No antlers or tentacles in sight. ‘Sammy…’

Sam quickly walked over to Dean and placed his hand on Dean’s left shoulder. ‘You’re okay! He did it… God, Dean… I was so worried…’ His eyes traveled over Dean’s bare shoulder and down his upper arm to the prosthetic. When he had first come into the room, he had thought Dean’s arm had been bandaged. He hadn’t been expecting to find his brother fitted with a new arm. That wasn’t part of the agreement. ‘What… Dean, we can’t afford that! I _barely_ managed to get them to agree to me showing Gabriel where Azazel’s lab was!’

‘Well, _I_ didn’t ask for it!’ Dean shot back. He could feel his heart race as panic rose up. What had they gotten themselves into? Sam should have just let him die. ‘I didn’t ask to be dragged to some Ma—mad scientist’s secret lab!’

‘No. It’s fine… We’ll give the arm back, and leave it at that,’ Sam said as he paced.

‘Kinda hard to do when it’s made specifically for Dean-o there,’ a voice said from the doorway.

Sam turned to face the man he had spent the past two days with, scouring Azazel’s lab. He was actually beginning to trust the shorter man, but if everything had just been a ruse... ‘Gabriel, this wasn’t part of the deal,’ he said, waving his hand at Dean’s arm.

Gabriel came into the room and barely glanced up at Sam. He approached Dean and leaned over to examine the prosthetic, letting out an impressed whistle. ‘Cas really went to town on that… What the hell did you do to get him to agree to this?’ he asked, raising his eyes to meet Dean’s.

‘Nothing!’ Dean leaned away from Gabriel’s leer.

‘Did you threaten my little brother?’ Gabriel quietly asked, his expression going cold.

‘Hey! _He_ threatened _me_!’ Dean said as he stood, forcing the shorter man to back up.

Gabriel crossed his arms as he looked between Sam and Dean. ‘Either way, the arm’s extra.’

‘And what do you want in return? My kidneys?’ Dean asked hatefully.

‘You’re kidneys wouldn’t _begin_ to cover the cost of that arm. That’s quality workmanship there,’ Gabriel replied. ‘Try throwing in a lung. Maybe your brain, since you’re not using it.’ He let his eyes drift down as he smirked. ‘Or some other organ you wouldn’t miss. _Too_ badly… Transplants are all the rage these days.’

Dean grabbed the collar of Gabriel’s shirt and pulled him close. ‘Or maybe I could just not turn you two in. Ever think of that?’ he said lowly.

Gabriel stilled at the sound of fabric ripping and the feel of cool, sharp metal lightly grazing his skin. He gave Dean a charming smile. ‘C’mon, now. No need to be turning anyone into the local authorities. Besides, we’re a vital part of this community.’

‘I thought you two were leaving?’ Sam asked with a raised brow. ‘Something about the local magistrate growing suspicious?’

‘Well… The sheriff is on our side,’ Gabriel said defensively. ‘We saved his daughter’s life. _He_ likes us. You guys should like us, too.’

‘Well, I don’t,’ Dean growled, tightening his fingers.

‘Uh… How ‘bout this: You guys have a nice little wagon! Take us to the next town over, and we’ll call it square!’ Gabriel said, still smiling and careful to keep the distress out of his voice.

A soft creek came from the doorway, and all three men looked to find Castiel leaning against the doorjamb with a curious look.

‘Is everything all right?’ he asked.

‘Just fine. Right, guys?’ Gabriel replied. He gently patted Dean’s arm as he looked to Sam for support.

‘Look, we aren’t going to turn you in,’ Sam said with a sigh. ‘You haven’t performed any mutilations, and you both seem pretty sane—’

‘No. Not that one,’ Dean interrupted, pointing to Castiel. ‘ _That one_ has something’ goin’ on with him.’

‘It’s not his fault!’ Gabriel argued as he pulled away from Dean, ripping his shirt.

Dean blinked as he noticed that the blades on his knuckles had flipped back out. He breathed in sharply and looked up at Sam with wide eyes. ‘I can’t… I don’t know how to control it.’

‘You need to calm down,’Castiel said as he came into the room. He waved off his brother as he cautiously approached Dean. ‘They react to your emotional state. With time, you should be able to call upon the weapons as if you were flexing a muscle. But, for now, it’s completely reactive.’

‘You weaponized him?!’ Gabriel hissed as he tugged at Casitel shirt sleeve. ‘What is _wrong_ with you?!’

Castiel bit his lip and stared at the floor. ‘It seemed like a good idea at the time…’ He flicked his eyes back up to Dean. ‘You’re a hunter…of monsters and…well…Maddies. I thought you would benefit from an extra weapon. There’s a bladder to store holy water for dousing the razors.’

Dean opened his hand, dropping the bit of cloth he held and forced himself to calm down. He looked at Sam and raised his brows, flicking his eyes in the direction of Castiel and Gabriel.

‘See? That new arm’s _full_ of surprises,’ Gabriel said. ‘That’s worth your silence, right? And a ride. Next town. All we’re asking. Or a couple train tickets. Good deal, right?’

Sam shrugged at Dean. ‘We’d be getting off cheap,’ he admitted. With Dean’s nod, he looked to Castiel and Gabriel. ‘All right. We’ll drop you off at the next town. How long do you need to pack?’

‘We’ll be ready by morning!’ Gabriel said delightedly.

‘No. That won’t work,’ Castiel said. He had been staring at the wall and slowly turned his head to stare at Dean. ‘Your arm’s a prototype… It’ll need _maintenance_ ,’ he said carefully. ‘How are you going to find someone to keep it running when they don’t understand the technology? That’s a custom hookup. There would be a lot of…invasive questions to answer if you tried to get someone else to look at it. Where did you get it? Who made it? What were you doing… _cavorting_ with a…a…well…me.’ He held his breath as he waited for Dean.

Dean narrowed his eyes at Castiel. He could have sworn he had seen a flash of black creep up Castiel’s neck just toward the end of his little speech. ‘Are you asking to _come with us_?’ he asked.

‘What? No! Cas, we are not _staying_ with them!’ Gabriel said as he pulled Castiel away. He lowered his voice to a harsh whisper as he shook his brother. ‘We’re getting off easy! The less time we spend with them, the less chance they get it in their heads to off us!’

‘They’re after Azazel,’ Castiel calmly whispered back.

‘Yeah, and I got you everything worthwhile from his lab. We’re _good_.’

Castiel shook his head and looked down. ‘I can’t use anything. Not for what…we want. I’m no closer to a cure.’

Gabriel looked away with a heavy sigh. ‘What do you need?’

‘His notes would be best.’

Gabriel nodded and turned back to the other brothers in the room. ‘We’re stickin’ with you until we find Azazel,’ he said firmly.

‘No way. Next town, and you’re _gone_ ,’ Dean replied.

‘I don’t think you have much choice,’ Gabriel said with a smile.

‘I can live without an arm,’ Dean said, rolling his eyes. ‘C’mon, Sam. We’re leaving.’

‘Oh, you can live without an arm. No problem. But can Sam live without his liver?’ Gabriel asked, his smile turning to a smirk.

‘What? My liver’s fine!’ Sam said in confusion.

Gabriel shrugged. ‘Maybe next time you won’t let me cook for you. It’s called “insurance,” Sammy,’ he said. ‘Just in case your brother threatened mine, or you reneged on our deal… Just covering my ass. You understand.’

Sam’s heart was beating quickly. ‘You’re lying! There was nothing you could have used to poison me! Not without me noticing.’

‘Cas isn’t the only Maddy in the family. I just hide it better,’ Gabriel replied, losing his smile. ‘You wanna live? We’re coming with you. And you better decide quickly. You only have a few hours before your liver starts to deteriorate.’

A soft click echoed through the room. Sam glanced over to see Dean’s false hand clenched, spikes revealed, and a small gun sticking out of his forearm. ‘Dean…’

‘Fine,’ Dean growled. ‘But the moment we catch up to Azazel, you two are _gone_. And we ain’t paying for _anything_ for you two. A ride is _all_ you’re getting.’

‘That’s more than enough,’ Castiel said, placing his hand on Gabriel’s arm. ‘Thank you. We’ll retrieve Sam’s cure and begin packing.’

‘We leave at sunrise,’ Dean said. He watched as the pair of Maddies disappeared into the hall and listened as they descended the stairs before he turned on Sam. ‘They are _not_ coming with us.’

‘Dean, we just—’

‘No. They give you your cure, then we fuckin’ leave. And on the way out, we turn them in, and let someone else deal with them,’ he said. ‘There’s a reason you don’t cut deals with Maddies, Sam. And we just saw it. You can’t trust ‘em.’

Sam huffed as he crossed his arms. ‘They’re not monsters, Dean. Gabriel’s just looking out for his brother. You’d do the same.’

‘I wouldn’t poison someone just to get my way!’

‘No, but you’ve done more than your fair share of threatening,’ Sam reminded. ‘Dangling a cure in front of you, or shoving a gun in your face? It’s just different means to getting the same results.’

‘But they’re Maddies! _Both_ of them!’ Dean stalked to the doorway and gestured to the hall. ‘If we let them come with us, we’re gonna have to watch our backs the whole time if we don’t wanna wake up with our fucking hands switched with our feet.’

‘That’s already been done,’ Castiel said as he ducked under Dean’s arm. He carried a glass of golden liquid and handed it to Sam. ‘Drink this.’

Sam took the glass and eyed it warily before downing it in one go. He grimaced and pulled a face at what had apparently been whiskey.

‘It’s to cover the taste of the antidote,’ Castiel explained. ‘It is…a lot harder to swallow on its own.’

‘Thanks,’ Sam said, coughing as he handed the glass back.

Castiel held the glass in his hands and looked over his shoulder at Dean. ‘I understand if you wish to leave now. There is nothing keeping you here, and Gabriel is preoccupied, but…I _would_ like to continue to work on your arm,’ he said quietly. ‘As I said, switching limbs has been done before. I’m more interested in what _hasn’t_ been done.’

‘And what about your brother?’ Dean asked gruffly. ‘Is he gonna poison us every chance he gets?’

Castiel shook his head, biting his lip. ‘No. Gabriel prefers to make small toys and trinkets. This was a…very unusual circumstance. We do not…needlessly experiment. We prefer to help.’

Dean watched Castiel. There was something that Castiel wasn’t telling him. He assumed it had something to do with Castiel’s earlier change in personality, so he left it at that. ‘Fine. But the moment either of you turn crazy—’

‘It won’t come to that,’ Castiel assured Dean. ‘You two should get some rest. Gabriel and I will pack what we need. Help yourself to anything in the kitchen, but stay out of the red cupboard.’

‘Do we even wanna know what’s in the red cupboard?’ Dean asked, giving Sam a look. He knew exactly which cupboard he’d be opening first.

‘Rabbits,’ Castiel replied. ‘Dead, of course. But it’s rather gruesome. There may be a squirrel or two. I can’t rightly recall.’

‘Rabbits?’ Sam repeated.

Castiel nodded. ‘There is nothing wrong with them, so…I suppose you could cook one if you wanted. Gabriel eventually does. He brings them home from the market, and I dissect them.’

‘I don’t think I want any rotting rabbit. Thanks,’ Dean said, staring at Sam in disbelief.

‘They’re kept quite cool. It’s a frigid cupboard,’ Castiel explained. ‘Like an icebox, but better.’

‘Right… Uh… Thanks,’ Sam said as Castiel left. After a while, he spoke up again. ‘Dissection’s not so bad. Regular doctors do that, too…’

‘We’re not eating the rabbits.’

.-.-.-.-.

‘Did he drink it?’ Gabriel asked as Castiel stepped off the stairs.

‘He didn’t question it,’ Castiel replied as he set the empty glass onto a nearby end table.

Gabriel sighed in relief and took a swig of the bottle he held. He had been hoping that his lie had been believable. To his own ears, it sounded like the dumbest thing he could have pulled out of his ass. ‘So they bought it. Good. Not good. _Now_ , they’re gonna be paranoid. God, I don’t even know how rat poison works!’

‘I assured them we wouldn’t cut them up or poison them,’ Castiel said.

‘Oh, good. So, _don’t_ ,’ Gabriel said sternly, shaking the bottle at Castiel.

Castiel frowned as he leaned his head back, squinting at Gabriel. ‘I have no intention of—’

‘Not you. _Chompy_. Keep him down.’

Castiel leaned forward as thin, black veins crept up his neck. ‘Do _not_ call me that,’ he hissed. He snapped his teeth at Gabriel. There was no reaction, and he stood back with an unimpressed glare. ‘You’re no… _fun_.’

‘I mean it. Don’t give them a reason to ditch us or kill us. Got it?’

Castiel crossed his arms and looked away with an irritated sigh. He blinked a few times before looking back at Gabriel, uncrossing his arms. ‘Everything will be fine,’ he said. ‘Now, tell me what happened to that,’ he said, pointing at a small box with a charred coil sticking out from a splintered side.

‘Oh, that,’ Gabriel said with a carefree wave of his hand. ‘Funny story, actually.’


	2. Chapter 2

Two days earlier…

Sam had Dean slung over the saddle in front of him as the horse galloped into town. Dean groaned in pain, and Sam winced as he slowed the horse to a trot. The hospital was on the other side of town, but the sign for the mad scientist was down the next alley. He quickly made up his mind as he dismounted and led his horse to a post. He began to pull Dean off the saddle when a large, black nose blocked his view.

‘Baby, move!’ he said, pushing the horse’s face aside. He gathered Dean into his arms and turned toward the alley. He took a few steps and turned back when he heard the horse follow. ‘No, Baby! Stay with Charger. Stay!’

‘Sam…Sam, it’s no use,’ Dean slurred, tapping his bitten hand against Sam’s chest.

Sam shook his head in denial. ‘No, it’s not,’ he insisted. ‘You’re gonna hate me later, but at least you’ll be alive to hate me.’

He jogged down the alley to the next dirt road and looked for the next sign. Across the way was a small, two-story building nestled between a feed store and a hat shop. The sign that hung above the door proudly declared it was a ‘Toy Shoppe.’ One of the O’s had been replaced by a heart. A heart that looked suspiciously similar to the alchemic symbol for vitriol.

Sam hurried across the road then banged open the door, surprising the man that sat behind the counter. He didn’t miss how the man quickly wiped everything off the counter, sending the various items clattering to the floor.

‘I need your help!’ Sam said as he set Dean’s feet on the ground and propped him against the wall.

‘I think you need a doctor,’ the man said, pushing his hair back as he looked between Sam and Dean. ‘He doesn’t look well…’

‘Look, I know what you are!’

‘I’m a toy maker! I make toys! A doll’s not gonna help your friend,’ the man insisted. He jumped as the door to the back opened.

‘Gabriel? What’s going on?’ the newcomer asked.

‘Cas, go back to what you were doing. I got this,’ Gabriel said.

Sam looked over the new man. There was a lot of blood on the man’s hands. ‘Is it you?’ he asked. ‘I’m not here to turn anyone in. My brother _needs help_. _Please_!’

‘Look, you crazy loon,’ Gabriel shouted, drawing Sam’s attention back to himself. ‘Whatever you think is going on, isn’t! Just leave!’

Sam glared at Gabriel and pulled out his gun. ‘I tried to ask nicely, but I’m running out of time and options. Either you help him or—’

‘Hey! Hey, leave that dumb dog alone, y’ stupid…moose-crab…thing,’ Dean said as he pushed off the wall.

‘It’s okay, he can handle himself,’ Castiel said as he guided Dean to a chair. He lightly touched the stone skin on Dean’s left hand before he pulled a small flashlight from his vest pocket and pointed it at Dean’s eyes. ‘When was he bitten?’

‘Tha’ feels nice,’ Dean mumbled.

‘About an hour ago,’ Sam replied as he moved to Dean’s side. ‘Can you save him?’

Castiel turned off the light and nodded. ‘The tourniquet bought you just enough time. I’ll have to start right now.’

‘Wow… You’re a really pretty angel,’ Dean said, staring into Castiel’s eyes. ‘Are there any rules ‘gainst angels hookin’ up with the dead?’

Castiel blinked in surprise and ignored the sniggers coming from his brother. He smiled softy at Dean. ‘Everything is going to be all right,’ he promised. He pulled off his tie and tightened it as much as he could around Dean’s upper arm. He held out his hand, and Gabriel handed him a syringe.

‘Is that a “yes”?’ Dean asked. ‘Since this is Heaven, it should so be a “yes”.’

Castiel’s smile widened as he stuck the needle in Dean’s neck. ‘Who knows?’ he said as Dean slumped forward. ‘Quickly, get him to the lab,’ he said as he stood and led the way to the back of the shop.

Sam picked Dean up and followed Castiel through the back door and into a room that was decorated like any normal house. Castiel unlatched a small door that led under the stairs and ducked inside. Sam soon followed with Gabriel right on his heels the whole way as they moved into the cellar.

‘You don’t see any of this,’ Gabriel said as he flicked a switch on the side of the wall, lighting up the small room.

Sam breathed in sharply. He had been expecting blood-spattered walls and grime on every surface. Odd-looking tools. Failed experiments. Something. _Anything_ that would remind him that he was relying on the help of a mad scientist. The room was pristine. Aside from being underground, it looked like any other operating room. It looked…normal. ‘What…’

‘Set him on the table,’ Castiel said as he moved to the sink and washed his hands free of the blood.

Gabriel put his arm out, blocking Castiel from approaching the table. ‘First, we discuss payment.’

‘Gabriel, there’s no time,’ Castiel said, pushing Gabriel aside.

Gabriel stumbled and huffed in indignation. ‘Fine. You start, we talk. If we don’t reach an agreement, then you stop.’ He waited for Castiel’s nod before looking up at Sam. ‘All right, you tall and disgustingly handsome thing, what are you gonna give us in return for saving your stupid brother? Cockatrice bite is a tough save.’

Sam shrugged helplessly. If it came to it, they could probably sell the horses. Or, at least, _his_ horse. ‘We have about fifty dollars,’ he said miserably. It probably wasn’t enough.

‘Should I stop?’ Castiel asked offhandedly as he cut through Dean’s shirt.

Gabriel rolled his eyes with a sigh. ‘Okay, how ‘bout you tell us where you were. Cockatrices ain’t exactly common. Not ‘round here.’

‘We were…uh…’

‘You’re hunters. We know what you guys are, and you know what Cas is,’ Gabriel said, waving his hand as Castiel. ‘So, where were you?’

‘We were following a lead on a Maddy,’ Sam said, moving his arms helplessly.

The sound of scissors being embedded into the wood of a workbench echoed off the stone walls of the cellar.

‘Cas?’ Gabriel said warily, narrowing his eyes at Castiel’s back.

Castiel turned around with an indifferent gaze, holding a bone saw. ‘I’m fine,’ he said tersely. ‘I assume it was a lab?’

Sam nodded, keeping an eye on Castiel. He didn’t think he wanted the man cutting into his brother. ‘What are you doing?’

‘The venom’s already claimed his hand. Amputation is the only option,’ Castiel replied. ‘Whose lab?’

‘H-his name is Azazel. He’s wanted for—’

‘A lot,’ Castiel interrupted. He shared a look with Gabriel and nodded to the stairs. ‘See what you can salvage from his lab. _That_ will be the payment.’

Sam shook his head in confusion. ‘Wait. You want his old equipment?’

‘Equipment, tools, notes, anything,’ Castiel replied, setting the saw next to Dean. ‘He has created a few new strains of viruses. I would like to create some vaccines.’

Sam nodded as he let Gabriel take his arm and lead him back up the stairs. When they reached the living room, he let himself fall heavily onto the sofa and stared up at Gabriel. ‘There’s…a lot of stuff in that lab,’ he said shakily. He couldn’t get the image of the saw out of his head.

‘Well, Cas wants stuff he can use,’ Gabriel said as he sank down beside Sam, throwing his arm over the other’s shoulders. ‘You’re gonna take me to that lab, then we’ll pick over what’s still there. Damn good deal. You’re gettin’ off easy, you majestic beast of a man.’

Sam looked at Gabriel out of the corner of his eye. ‘I don’t know if you’re trying to flirt with me or comfort me,’ he said eventually.

‘Both? Here, we weren’t properly introduced. I’m Gabriel, and my brother, Castiel, is fixing _your_ brother right up,’ Gabriel said as he rubbed his hand along Sam’s back.

Sam scooted away, giving Gabriel an uncertain stare. ‘Your brother is…is a _Maddy_!’

‘And yet, you’re letting him operate on _your_ brother,’ Gabriel pointed out.

‘Like I have a choice,’ Sam growled.

Gabriel gave Sam his space, but offered a small smile. ‘Cas isn’t that bad,’ he insisted. ‘He helps people. Honest. I saw how you looked at the lab… You were surprised. Not what you were expecting, right?’

Sam shook his head and looked away. ‘Yeah. We usually see…’

‘Human-animal hybrids?’ Gabriel said with a laugh. ‘Yeah…there’s a reason Maddies have a bad name, but… A few bad apples don’t ruin the whole bunch. I mean, there’s plenty of crazy doctors out there… Everyone is capable of doin’ crazy shit.’

‘But _they_ don’t have the Darkness,’ Sam said as he stood. ‘They don’t have those…’ He gestured at his head as he paced the small living room. ‘Normal crazy doesn’t make people create automatons to do the killing for them! A bad doctor’s not gonna bring you back as a monkey if he accidentally kills you!’

‘Hey… That’s what Zachariah did… Howler monkey, right?’

‘Look, what I’m saying is that there is a difference between a normal criminal and a Mad criminal!’ Sam said as he leaned on the fireplace mantle.

‘And _I’m_ saying there’s a difference between a bad Maddy and a good one. Cas is a good one. Look at the wonders of today,’ Gabriel said as he stood and slowly made his way next to Sam. ‘The motorwagon? A Maddy created that. Motion pictures? Maddy. Aeroplane? Maddy, again. Clockwork prosthetics—which, I might add, you’re brother’s probably gonna have to get—well…a Maddy came up with that technology. Same with a lot of farm equipment. This is all stuff we’re used to seeing and using.’

‘The Massacre of 1829,’ Sam said quietly. ‘And 1830. ‘31. ‘32… All caused by Lillith before she even turned twelve. The… _Deathbots_ in South Carolina… They still haven’t found two of them. The acidic snails of Tennessee. The poisoned water supply in New Orleans. Over half the population died.’

‘Not _everyone_ was hurt,’ Gabriel said. ‘The vamps and weres made it out okay. And the wendigos…and the rugarus…uh… Non-humans. But a Maddy _did_ come in time to cure the humans that were left. Um… Sorry. Continue.’

‘Azazel’s… _special_ children…’ Sam said, gripping the mantle tightly.

Gabriel’s breath caught and he quickly looked away. ‘Yeah… Those poor kids… But…that doesn’t make _all_ Maddies bad. I mean…they hurt other Maddies, too. No one’s safe from…from the bad ones.’

‘The _good_ ones tend to register,’ Sam said as he looked over at Gabriel. The noticed the shorter man was fidgeting nervously.

‘Yeah… Barely a step above slavery, right?’ Gabriel said bitterly. ‘Constantly checking in… Getting approval to even _look_ at a book. When they _are_ allowed to make anything, the government takes it. Or whoever was rich enough to pay for their lab. Registered Maddies are clerks and pets. If they get a doctor position, they’re kept on a short leash and aren’t allowed do anything past _part_ of a procedure. I thought we were past the whole slave thing. It’s 1851! Monsters have rights, blacks have rights, women have rights, but Maddies? Just ‘cuz there’s way less of them doesn’t mean you can just push ‘em around! Why do _they_ have to be treated as less than human?! ‘Cuz there aren’t any monsters out there with the Madness to tip the scale back?’

Sam sighed heavily and pushed off the mantle. He stared at the fireplace before nodding. ‘Sorry,’ he whispered. ‘Dean and I… We lost our mother to a roaming experiment gone bad. Our dad tried to stop it, but…it got him, too.’

‘And we lost _our_ parents to a cave-in and pneumonia,’ Gabriel said. ‘Doesn’t mean we avoid caves or have a panic attack at the first sign of a cough.’

‘That’s a little different. You can’t prevent—’

‘And you can’t prevent a person going crazy. It’s about ten percent of Maddies that are unstable. Less, if you consider how many that aren’t even registered. Passing as normal,’ Gabriel pointed out. When Sam faced him again, he held out his hand. ‘Let’s try this again. Hi. I’m Gabriel. I make toys.’

Sam looked down and took Gabriel’s hand, giving it a quick shake. ‘Sam. Sam Winchester.’

‘The Winchester boys… At least I know you won’t let me get killed while we’re looting Azazel’s lab.’

.-.-.-.-.

The ride to the lab had been spent in relative silence. Sam rode on Dean’s horse, and Gabriel rode on Charger. Sam was thankful for the lack of conversation.

Shortly before they had left, Castiel had emerged from the cellar, declaring the operation was going to take more time than he had originally anticipated. He had let Sam see Dean before effectively shooing Sam and Gabriel out the door with the promise that Dean was going to be perfectly fine.

Sam’s thoughts dwelled on the image of Dean’s missing hand. The stump of where his wrist was, covered in bloodied gauze.

They reached the dilapidated cabin in the middle of a sparsely wooded area next to a small creek and dismounted.

‘This is it,’ Sam said quietly. ‘I had to leave our wagon here.’ He gestured to a small nomadic wagon that sat a few yards away from the cabin’s entrance. ‘That should make bringing things back easier.’

Gabriel clapped Sam on the back as he walked up to the front porch. ‘Great! Let’s get started, huh?’

‘Yeah. And be careful. Don’t touch anything. Azazel booby-trapped the place,’ Sam said as he followed Gabriel through the door.

Gabriel snorted softly as he kicked at a pile of debris. ‘I’ve been in a lab before,’ he said. ‘I _live_ with a Maddy. I know how to navigate this crap.’ A small, wooden box with an intricately carved family crest caught his attention. He walked up to box, ignoring Sam’s warnings to be careful. As he stared at the box, he noticed that there were a few worn spots on the left and right side. He reached out and placed his fingers over each spot and applied pressure.

And then he was thrown back a few feet by a small explosion of flame and dust. He blinked in surprise as he realized that he wasn’t laying on the ground. Sam had caught him and was holding him up by his arms. He was fortunate in that the blast went out the back end of the box. Out of its side, a charred coil bounced. Beneath the soot, he could make out the glint of copper. He looked up and grinned embarrassedly. ‘Right. Don’t touch anything. Got it.’

Sam shook his head as he righted Gabriel and moved to the back of the room. ‘Let’s just get this done, all right?’

Gabriel nodded as he followed Sam through a hole in the back wall. ‘So, uh, why were you guys after Azazel? I know he’s got a nice price on his head, but is it really worth the risk?’ Gabriel asked. They headed down a set of stone steps, and he slipped, barely managing to catch himself on Sam’s arm.

‘It’s…a little personal,’ Sam quietly replied. There was more than one instance where Azazel had invaded his life. He settled on the one that would draw the least amount of attention. ‘That roving experiment?’

‘Oh… Yeah. Sorry. Um… If it’s any consolation, he created that strain of pneumonia that got my mom,’ Gabriel said as he looked around the dank cellar they now occupied. There were three open doors, one on each wall. ‘Geez. Would it hurt him to clean up the place? How did he get any work done?’

Sam glanced down at Gabriel before heading to the door on the left. ‘I don’t make it a habit to ask.’

‘Well, I mean…from a toymaker standpoint. Gotta know where everything is. And take Cas. His workspace is immaculate. He thinks _I’m_ messy!’ Gabriel said as he entered the small lab just behind Sam. He looked around the dimly lit room in dismay. It had looked like the good doctor had left in a hurry and had taken everything truly useful. To the untrained eye, there was plenty left for scavengers.

‘What do you—’ Sam caught Gabriel as the other tripped over the solidified carcass of the cockatrice. ‘You really need to stop doing that. Do you wanna wait outside?’

‘Not if I keep ending up in your arms,’ Gabriel happily replied. He pouted as Sam’s hands left him. ‘Right, okay, so uh… Just grab his journals and notes…and anything that doesn’t look broken. Or broken. I’ll sort it all out.’

‘Right. Stay here,’ Sam said, pointing at the work bench where Dean had been slumped hours earlier. ‘I’ll bring everything to you, and you can decide what to keep.’

‘That’s gonna…’ Gabriel trailed off as his thoughts caught up with his mouth. He was going to complain about how long Sam’s plan would take, but the longer it took, the more alone time he’d get with the taller man. ‘That works just dandy,’ he said as he obediently sat on the bench and watched Sam move through the room.

As Sam brought various items and books to him, Gabriel had to keep his mouth shut. Everything was useless. Maybe he would be able to salvage pieces for his own work, but nothing would work for anything that Castiel liked to make. Castiel had to have known it would be like this. He must have been desperate if he was sending Gabriel on this wild goose chase. _He_ thought Castiel was getting on just fine. That he had adapted well. Even Chompy was tolerable most of the time. Sometimes, even a little fun to be around.

Sam brought over a small gadget with ornate, gold filigree, and Gabriel turned it over in his hands. Who would leave something so valuable? He immediately thought of his brother’s ‘Chompy’ personality. Some Maddies didn’t comprehend value. Or have their priorities sorted. Had he known looting the abandoned labs of Maddies gone…mad would be so lucrative, he would have started ages ago.

But how did one get into the Maddy-hunting business? His eyes slowly shifted up to Sam’s back. Sam was in the business. Maybe he could give some pointers.

‘So…how did you and Dean-o get into the whole…hunter-thing?’ he asked innocently as he rearranged his piles, placing precious metals and anything Castiel might be able to salvage in one pile, and everything else in another.

‘Well…after our parents died, we were placed in an orphanage,’ Sam replied. He turned around, his arms full with a large stack of heavy tomes, and noticed that Gabriel had moved certain objects around. He set the books on the bench and turned back to the shelving to pull more books. ‘I was… We ran away, and…well, one thing led to another, and we just…fell into it.’

‘How do you fall into hunting?’ Gabriel asked. He flipped through a book. It was standard mad scientist stuff: human anatomy, reanimating dead tissue, proper disposal of reanimated dead tissue being a menace… He recalled a rat he had brought back to life when he was ten. It chased a family of squirrels out of a tree and ate the tree. He was glad that he had performed the resurrection several miles outside of town so that no one would connect the incident to him. He was quite proud that he was able to exist undetected.

‘We were…running away and fell into a wendigo’s lair. An old mineshaft,’ Sam said with a small smile. ‘Barely escaped with our lives, but…we got out and ran into a hunter on his way in. I think he felt sorry for us. He took us in. Fed us, clothed us…just…took care of us. Dean started going on jobs with him and picked up on the trade. A few years later, I joined them. And then…Azazel resurfaced. So we’ve been following his trail ever since.’

Gabriel nodded. It sounded pretty similar to his own life story. No parents. A brother he had to take care of. The whole reason he and his brother were in the nearby town was because they were trying to intercept Azazel. Apparently, they had picked the right place, but they had been expecting Azazel to come around in another two months. He was already long gone. At least they knew for certain that their calculations had been close. They could do it again. They could be patient.

‘What about you two?’ Sam asked, setting another stack of books next to Gabriel.

‘Cas showed signs pretty early that he was a Maddy,’ Gabriel said. ‘Mom… Dad was already dead. Cave-in at the mine. So it was just Mom and us. She didn’t want Cas to be taken away, so we just started moving around. Every time someone would start to get suspicious, we’d pack up and leave. Then she got sick. I was twelve at the time, and Cas was barely seven. A lot of people in that town died.’

He lightly stroked a book’s cover, wondering if he had given too much information. He didn’t even know if anyone knew just how specialized Azazel’s strain of pneumonia was. The only survivors were carriers of the Madness. In the aftermath, Azazel had swept through town and collected a handful of Maddies to be test subjects. His brother included.

‘Has it…just been you two?’ Sam asked, pulling Gabriel from his thoughts.

Gabriel nodded. He looked up when Sam’s hand landed lightly on his shoulder. ‘We’ve just kept moving ever since. Gonna have to pack up here soon, too. The magistrate’s been givin’ Cas some pretty hard stares…’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘Not your fault.’

‘Dean and I… We move around a lot, but at least we have somewhere to go back to. Someone that cares that we’re okay,’ Sam said as he sat next to Gabriel. ‘I can’t imagine what it’s been like for you two.’

‘Hey. We have yet to overstay our welcome,’ Gabriel said with a smile. ‘Been a couple close calls, but Mom taught us well. We always have an urgent telegraph waiting on the line. Usually go with a family member dying and needing to get there to help sort out the estate. Works like a charm.’

.-.-.-.-.

Sam and Gabriel had managed to sort through the first room and load the items that Gabriel had deemed worthy onto the wagon just as the sun was setting.

Sam looked out into the distance. Somehow, Gabriel had convinced him that they should stay until they had gone over every inch of the cabin and its cellar. He was worried about Dean. No matter how much Gabriel assured him that Dean was in good hands, Sam still felt unease brewing in the pit of his stomach.

His stomach growled as the smell of food wafted through the air. He reentered the cabin and found Gabriel in front of the small wood stove, cooking up a fish. ‘You can cook?’ he asked, his amusement clear.

‘ _Someone_ had to learn,’ Gabriel replied, not looking up from the frying pan. ‘Cas can cut them up just fine. Skinning, boning… Perfect cuts. We played butcher shop for a few months one time. No one suspected a thing. Just don’t ask him to cook anything. What you’ll get is burnt _and_ raw. I don’t even know how he does it.’

Sam sat down at a small, worn table and watched Gabriel work. His movements were quick and precise—probably from working as a toymaker. ‘So…where will you be headed next?’ he asked. Part of him was truly curious, and part of him wanted to know where Gabriel’s brother was going to be. Just in case Castiel turned bad.

‘Probably more west… See the territories. They’re a little more accepting of Maddies. At least…that’s what I’ve heard. Could just be a lie intended to draw them out,’ Gabriel replied as he placed the cooked fish on a tin plate and set it in front of Sam. ‘Eat up, Sammy. We’ve a got a long day ahead of us tomorrow.’

Sam sighed as he poked at the fish. He wanted to check on his brother. He looked up as Gabriel moved a strand of hair out of his face.

‘Dean’s in good hands,’ Gabriel promised. ‘The best thing you can do is stay out of way. Cockatrice bites are hard work, but if anyone can do it, Cas can. It’s taxing on the body, so your brother’s gonna be unconscious for a while, anyway.’

Sam nodded, unable to disguise his worry. His brows came together as Gabriel leaned closer then quickly pulled away.

‘Yeah, so uh… Just focus on keeping me alive. If I’m dead, then Cas’ll take it out on something or some _one_ ,’ Gabriel said as he turned back to the stove and tossed a fish into the small frying pan. He berated himself for even thinking about kissing Sam.

Sam watched Gabriel’s back. His movements had become stiff and jerky, and his ears were tinged with a hint of red. He gave a little smile as he turned his attention back to the fish.

.-.-.-.-.

The next day was spent in the main lab. There, they found a stack of cages, most of them empty, and a few with dead rats. The door to one of the cages had been chewed through, and the inside was littered with gravel.

‘Guess we know where the cockatrice came from,’ Gabriel said as he poked a dead rat with a stick. It twitched then locked its jaws onto the stick, foaming at the mouth and staring with milky-white eyes. He jumped when Sam shot its head off. He quickly backed away and placed his hands behind his back as he stood in the center of the room. ‘Not touching!’

Sam was thankful that the rest of the day went without incident. He still couldn’t figure out just what Gabriel was after. His choices of what to keep were random and ranged from small tools for measurement to bits of bone and even a small key. Almost all of the books had been rejected. When he tried to bring it up, Gabriel had brushed him off with a short explanation of ‘I know what Cas likes.’

They started on the third and final room in the early evening. It was even more of a mess than the other two. And a lot bloodier. Apparently, Azazel had been experimenting on wayward travelers.

Gabriel pulled Sam out of the room, suggesting that they rest for the night. He made fish again, not that Sam had much of an appetite after seeing jars full of eyes that actually followed his movements. That had been unsettling, but the lungs in the glass case…still breathing and covered blackened veins… They had been dripping slowly with black ooze. He shook his head and forced himself to take a bite of the fish.

That night, Sam was plagued by nightmares. Needles and Azazel’s voice filled his mind. Promises that he was going to be special. All of the new thoughts and ideas that came to him. Going from being scared of the needles to interested and inquisitive. Asking what was in them.

‘Something special,’ was always Azazel’s reply. Followed by praise of how Sam was his favorite. That the Darkness liked Sam more than the rest.

Then anger. So much anger when he lost interest in what Azazel was doing. The thoughts and urges left him. He had wanted his brother back. He didn’t like seeing the animals in cages. Didn’t care what their insides looked like. He no longer felt the need to try to fix the girl that Azazel had broken so easily. The Darkness hadn’t taken hold of her properly, and Azazel had let out his frustrations on her. He could no longer comprehend a way of helping her besides death. He feared he would be next if the next injection didn’t take hold.

His name was being called. Dean was there and armed with an axe. There was so much blood, but he didn’t care. Dean was there to save him. And just behind Dean…Azazel with a sick grin and a knife.

Sam jolted awake, crying out for Dean. He breathed heavily and looked over as he realized he wasn’t alone.

‘Sam. It’s okay,’ Gabriel whispered. He rubbed Sam’s back as he looked over the man. ‘It’s okay. You’re safe.’

Sam ran a hand through his hair as he shook his head. ‘Yeah. I know…’ He exhaled shakily. He let Gabriel rub his back, grateful for the contact.

‘It’s almost morning,’ Gabriel said softly. ‘I’ll make us some breakfast. We’ll finish up here and head back. Okay?’

Sam nodded and swallowed. The sooner they left, the better.

Gabriel had been silent for the rest of their time in the lab. Sam hated it, but he didn’t know how to break the silence without sounding like he was desperate for a distraction. He flinched when Gabriel finally did speak as they were finishing loading up the wagon.

‘Won’t be long now, Sammy,’ Gabriel said with forced cheer. ‘Your brother’ll be all fixed up and ready to go by the time we get back.’

‘Thank you,’ Sam said. He smiled in relief.

‘No problem. I’ll be extra nice and throw in a list of places where you can get some nice prosthetics,’ Gabriel said as he climbed onto the seat in front of the wagon.

Sam climbed up next to Gabriel and took the reins. With thoughts of his nightmare still lingering, his worry for Dean’s health and safety grew the closer they got to town.

As it turned out, Dean was fine. Alive and fitted with an overly complicated prosthetic arm.

Between Dean insisting on leaving in the middle of the night and Gabriel’s poisoning, Sam was feeling pretty run through. He felt dishonest for not saying anything as he watched the pair of Maddies pile seemingly random items into crates. He refrained from arguing when a stick of dynamite was tossed into the mix. Come morning, it wouldn’t matter.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I previously referred to Dean's deltoid as a bicep. When designing the arm, I was more focused on how it would wrap around the bicep, just under the deltoid. I swear, I know some basic anatomy... When Nellie pointed it out, I was absolutely baffled at how I made such a stupid mistake. Sorry to any confusion caused!

Dean peeked through the doorway and down the hall. He could hear soft snores coming from downstairs. Turning, he nodded at Sam and quietly shut the door.

Sam sighed as he opened the window and stepped onto the small roof. He helped Dean through the window and onto the ground, wincing as Dean stumbled. Dean still had some anesthetic and sedative running through his system, and it was catching up quickly as Dean fought rest. As Sam dropped down, he couldn’t help feeling like they were doing the wrong thing. Even if the pair of brothers were Maddies, they were pretty tame compared to some of the others running around.

As Dean hitched the horses to the wagon, Sam spared a glance through the window. A small fire was dying out in the fireplace, and Gabriel and Castiel were asleep on the sofa, covered by a blanket. Something didn’t feel quite right. He looked over when Dean quietly cursed.

‘Here,’ Sam said quietly as he moved Dean aside.

Dean rubbed his eyes and shook his head. ‘I’m fine.’

‘You need rest.’

Dean ignored Sam as he pulled himself onto the front seat. ‘I’ll sleep when we’re away from these lunatics.’

Sam finished with the horses and climbed up next to Dean. ‘Just let me know when you wanna stop,’ he said.

Dean nodded and leaned back. ‘Let’s just go,’ he said before clicking his tongue, sending the horses into a slow gait.

There was a soft ‘pop,’ but both Sam and Dean attributed it to one of the wheels running over a rock.

Once they were a mile out of town, Dean let himself relax. His eyes drifted shut as his head lolled to the side and onto Sam’s shoulder. Images flashed behind his eyes. Mostly of Castiel and a wicked grin. It was too bad the man was a Maddy. His arm tingled as he fell asleep.

.-.-.-.-.

Everything was so bright. Dean clenched his eyes shut as he groaned.

‘Oh! You’re awake!’ a cheery voice said. ‘Bit early for that, but I can work with that. We weren’t supposed to meet yet…’

Dean squinted as a figure hovered above him. His eyes slowly focused on what he had deemed his angel from before. Either he was dreaming, or he was dead. His thoughts were muddy and full of inconsistencies, so he latched onto the last thing he could remember. ‘Yer that angel,’ he slurred.

The angel’s smile widened. ‘Oh, I’m sorry. Your angel is uh… _gone_.’

Dean noticed the thin, black lines that decorated the angel’s neck and cheeks. ‘What…are you?’

The angel crawled on top of Dean and placed his hands on either side of Dean’s head as he leaned down. ‘ _I’m_ Leviathan. And I’ll be…taking care of you,’ he whispered as he let his lips lightly brush against Dean’s.

Dean quirked a smile as he tried to bring himself up to capture Leviathan’s lips. He thought he did. The other was moaning obscenely, and he could feel his mouth working against another’s, but he couldn’t _feel_ it. Couldn’t taste the sweet angel. He let his head fall back with a loud ‘thunk.’ He groaned in annoyance. ‘Bein’ dead sucks… Can’t feel a thing…’

Leviathan growled as he looked down at Dean’s left arm. ‘Yes… That would be the anesthetic. Your bone is exposed, and I’ve been…signing it.’

‘What?’ Dean blinked in confusion before turning his head and looking over as he lifted his arm. A new numbness washed over him as he stared at the stitched up stump that was now his arm. It was clean, but it was still a gruesome sight. Especially with the bone sticking out. Small letters—at least, he thought they were letters—were etched into in.

‘W-what did you… What’s goin’ on?!’ He breathed heavily as Leviathan’s hand rested on his chest, keeping him in place. He looked back at the other man.

‘Shh… I’m fixing you,’ Leviathan said soothingly. ‘Instead of chasing the venom, I just cut off its path.  So…I had to give you a transhumeral amputation. Much more practical, and much less unsightly.’

Dean swallowed as his panic rose. ‘Don’t need fixing.’

Leviathan traced his fingers over Dean’s bare chest. ‘So many lovely scars… I want to document each and every one of them…’ He stared at Dean’s chest in thought then looked over his shoulder. ‘Tell you what! I’ll make you something special, and you can repay me later. When you can _feel_. But uh… _I_ get to play first. _Not_ the other one. Not your… _angel_. _I_ get to explore your flesh first. Do you understand?’

Dean shook his head in confusion. ‘I don’t… What’s going on?!’ He gasped as the lines faded from Leviathan’s face and the grin was replaced with an impassive stare.

‘I’m going to give you a new arm, and you’re going to owe me,’ he said simply. He leaned down and whispered into Dean’s ear. ‘Don’t worry. I believe you’ll enjoy the payment I have in mind.’ He leaned back and climbed off of Dean. ‘But you’ll need to be unconscious for the procedure. I need to install a _proper_ hookup, and that will require me to cut you open again.’

Dean didn’t fight it when the needle pierced his skin, thankful for the darkness that replaced the insanity his afterlife had suddenly become.

.-.-.-.-.

Dean’s world was filled with pain as he was shaken awake.

‘Dean! Dean, wake up!’

Dean clutched at his bicep through the prosthetic as he groaned. ‘What’s wrong?’ he asked.

Sam pointed to the town where they had come from. A pillar of smoke with a soft, red glow at the base was rising above the town.

‘What the hell?’ Dean looked at Sam. ‘You don’t think…’

‘I _know_ they had something to do with it,’ Sam said quietly. ‘C’mon, let’s head back.’ Sam pulled on the reins and guided the horses to turn back towards the town.

There was a loud noise from inside the wagon, and the small panel just behind them slid open, revealing Gabriel.

‘Hey! Why are we turning back?’ he asked.

Sam and Dean stared at Gabriel in shock.

‘Well, don’t just sit there gawking. What’s up? Did you forget something? Better be somethin’ replaceable,’ Gabriel said as he looked up as the rising smoke.

‘What the hell did you do?!’ Dean shouted.

‘Relax, guys. We attached a wire to your wagon, and when you left you set everything into motion. It’ll look like a log rolled out of the fireplace, set the rug on fire, and well…you just shouldn’t leave dynamite lying around,’ Gabriel said with a dismissive wave of his hand. ‘The fire’s completely contained. No one’s gonna get hurt. Just covering our tracks, faking our deaths… The usual last minute getaway routine.’

‘But…I thought you were asleep! On the sofa!’ Sam said.

Gabriel gave Sam a long, hard look. ‘Those were a couple o’ corpses me an’ Cas dug up a while back,’ he replied.

‘I heard you snoring!’ Dean said with a pained growled.

Gabriel turned his attention to Dean with a cruel smile. ‘Amazing what you can record and play back, isn’t it?  Now, why would you be concerned with us being asleep?’

‘Why do you think?’ Dean bit out.

‘Oh, I don’t know… I’m a Maddy, after all. Common sense don’t make much sense to the likes of me. Can’t even predict that my free ride, that isn’t too keen on Maddies, just might try to ditch me and my brother,’ Gabriel said. He looked over his shoulder and frowned. ‘No. Let him suffer. He deserves it.’

Gabriel was jostled aside, and Castiel’s face came into view. He sighed as he looked over Dean. ‘I can give you a local anesthetic for the pain. There won’t be any drowsiness, so you can easily keep an eye on Gabriel and myself.’

Dean stared at Castiel with a mix of horror and lust. He was pretty sure his dream had been real. Was he still expected to pay Castiel with his body? Wasn’t he supposed to be at least a little more appalled by the idea? He swallowed before finding his voice. ‘And what’ll _that_ cost me?’ he asked.

Castiel’s head tilted minutely. ‘The cost has already been negotiated,’ he replied before being shoved aside.

‘Yeah, so unless you wanna be in a world of pain, you gotta take us with you,’ Gabriel added haughtily.

Dean looked to Sam for his opinion.

Sam shrugged as he gave a small, reluctant smile. ‘We did agree beforehand. We’re kinda lucky that they aren’t exactly too upset…’

Gabriel nodded in agreement. ‘You’re getting off cheap and easy!’ His back straightened, and he turned to the side. ‘I am _not_ cheap and easy!’

.-.-.-.-.

The creek they had been following was growing larger and they soon found themselves following a shallow river, lined by patches of trees and bushes. Sam slowed the horses and guided them to a clearing in the lightly wooded area.

Dean glared at the sun reflecting in the water. He was no longer in pain. Whatever Castiel had given him was doing just as he had promised: no pain and perfect clarity. Hell, he felt like he could stay awake for another day without issue. He hopped off of the seat and headed to the back of the wagon. He opened the small door and really wanted to hate what he saw inside, but just couldn’t bring himself to muster the feeling.

Gabriel and Castiel were curled up in the corner and sleeping soundly, just below the sliding window. Castiel had his arm wrapped around Gabriel’s shoulders while Gabriel’s head was rested on his chest.

Dean cleared his throat and forced himself to frown at the brothers as Sam came up behind him. ‘C’mon, get up!’ he shouted as he banged on the side of the wagon.

Gabriel grumbled as he snuggled against Castiel’s chest. ‘Sleeping…’

‘Not anymore,’ Dean said as he climbed into the wagon and pulled down a rifle from the wall near the door. He noticed that just beside the pair of Maddies were a set of steamer trunks. He hoped there was nothing explosive or questionable inside. He would have to have Castiel or Gabriel show him the contents later.

His brows furrowed as he read the names on the trunks. Novak. There was something very familiar about that name, but he just couldn’t place _why_. ‘You guys aren’t wanted for anything, are you?’ he asked.

‘Not that you’d believe us, but no. We’re not, thank you very much,’ Gabriel said as he sat up and glared at Dean.

Dean stared at Gabriel in silence then moved his eyes up to look at Castiel. He frowned to himself as Castiel’s eyes slowly opened to meet his. He didn’t like the idea of owing the Maddy, and he didn’t like the idea that he was perfectly fine with what the Maddy had in mind for payment. That is, if he could trust that his dream had been a memory.

‘Hope you guys have a way of catchin’ food, ‘cuz we ain’t doin’ for you,’ he said gruffly as he turned and hopped out of the wagon. ‘And we ain’t loanin’ any guns or fishin’ rods.’

‘Yeah, well we don’t need your help,’ Gabriel said as he stumbled up. ‘Me ‘n’ Cas’ll find our own food!’

‘Will we, now?’ Castiel said with an amused smile. ‘Beyond a market, where have you procured our food?’

‘C’mon, I’m sure Chompy’ll love to catch a rabbit in the wild. There’ll be plenty of blood,’ Gabriel sang.

Castiel smirked as he stood, his posture and the look in his eyes shifted as the lines crept up his neck and face. ‘Yes, but let’s aim for something a little bit bigger.’

.-.-.-.-.

Dean returned with a pair of rabbits. He pulled up short when he saw that Sam had caught a few more fish than they really needed. ‘Sam?’ he said with a small frown.

Sam shrugged as he propped the fishing rod against a tree. ‘Well, just in case, y’know? We can’t have them starving. At least they’re making the effort to catch their own food.’

Dean rolled his eyes as he turned away. Inside, he was grateful for his brother’s thoughtfulness. He just didn’t know what to do with the pair of Maddies. They obviously weren’t a real danger to anyone. Yet, he reminded himself. Gabriel was just looking out for his little brother and came off as mostly sane, and Castiel…had his moments. Even Castiel’s other personality didn’t seem _too_ bad. At least, nowhere near as bad as some of the other Maddies that he and Sam had come across.

He was about to get started on skinning the rabbits when the sound of cracking twigs and stumbling footsteps filled the air. He moved so that he could see past the edge of the wagon, and his jaw dropped in shock.

Coming out of the woods were Gabriel and Castiel. They had a large branch supported on their shoulders, and strung up on the branch was a young buck and a length of loose rope. Its antlers dragged on the ground as the pair bickered back and forth.

‘No, I don’t think he wants to see what an eyeball looks like,’ Gabriel said as he led the way.

‘Are you sure? He showed interest in my rabbits,’ Castiel said. He shifted his hold on the branch and offered a small smile when Gabriel threw him an incredulous sneer.

‘That wasn’t interest, Cas. That was disgust and worry. Worry over his own wellbeing,’ Gabriel explained. ‘Okay, that’s far enough. This tree looks strong enough.’

The brothers set the deer on the ground, and Gabriel tossed the rope over a thick branch as Castiel untied the deer’s legs. Castiel looked up and caught Dean’s gaze. He stared at Dean until the hunter looked away uncomfortably.

‘Is that…you caught a _deer_?!’ Sam exclaimed as he came up beside Dean.

 Gabriel beamed proudly as he placed his hands on his hips. ‘Sure did. Did you guys really think we’d be completely helpless in the wild?’

Sam and Dean watched as Castiel hoisted the deer up by its hind legs with practiced ease. ‘Well…I guess you guys are set,’ Sam said.

‘Not so fast,’ Gabriel said as he stepped forward. He eyed the rabbits that Dean held before looking up. ‘Tell you what… Cas’ll skin these good ‘n’ proper, and you two can cook everything up. We’ll even be real nice and let you have some of our fancy deer at no extra cost. You just gotta cook it.’

‘Just cook it? That’s all?’ Dean asked skeptically.

Gabriel’s smile faltered and his eyes darted back to Castiel. ‘Well…Cas likes to uh…cut…things…and I’ve got the rest covered. Um…I’ll keep the rabbit pelts, and you can have some nice shoulder and rump cuts. Unless you wanna just outright buy some deer meat. I can cook. I just don’t really feel like it, so if I can pass it off onto someone else, I will.’

Sam nudged Dean and nodded.

Dean sighed and held out the pair of rabbits to Gabriel. ‘Fine. I’ll get a fire started.’

Gabriel took the rabbits and tossed them to Castiel’s feet before walking past Dean and looping his arm through Sam’s. ‘Now that that’s settled, you can help me get some stuff outta my trunk,’ he said. He took the fish that Sam held and threw them at Dean before leading Sam away.

Dean sputtered as he barely managed to catch the fish. He looked over to find Castiel fidgeting with a knife and staring at him with a grin. He breathed in deeply when he realized he was staring at Leviathan. ‘W-what?’

‘Did you want to watch?’ Leviathan asked, waving the knife. ‘Maybe get your hands dirty?’

Dean took a step back, shaking his head. ‘Yeah, uh… No, thanks,’ he said stiffly. He quickly turned and headed to the other side of the wagon to set up the fire.

Leviathan frowned at Dean’s retreating back before turning and stabbing his knife into the deer’s belly. ‘This isn’t _working_ ,’ he grumbled as he worked the knife down. He tilted his head and paused. ‘Very well. _You_ break the ice and get him receptive.’

Leviathan nodded to himself with a pleased smile as he finished slitting the deer open. He shoved his hand in and began pulling out intestines. He sighed and stared at the blood dripping off his hands. He didn’t feel the same gleefulness. Dean hadn’t wanted to watch, and he just couldn’t understand why. Who _wouldn’t_ want to see the inner workings of another living being? Learn about anatomy and how everything was connected?

He dropped the intestines to the ground and set about properly butchering the deer. If he couldn’t impress Dean with an anatomy lesson, then maybe he could impress him with his butchering skills.

.-.-.-.-.

Dean glanced up as he heard soft footsteps approach. He felt relief when he saw that it was Castiel and turned his attention back to stoking the fire he had going. He scooted over as Castiel sat next to him the old log he was sitting on.

‘I apologize for earlier,’ Castiel said quietly. ‘I get quite excited over anatomy.’

‘Yeah, uh… It’s no problem,’ Dean said. He blinked in surprise when several small chunks of meat skewered on a sharp twig were held in front of him. ‘Oh. Thanks…’ He took the twig from Castiel and was presented with another. He looked up at Castiel’s smiling face and smiled back before turning his attention back to the fire.

‘You didn’t have to prep it,’ he said as he propped the sticks over the fire. As he made sure that everything was secure, he noticed that the meat had been cut into perfectly matching thin squares. ‘Probably a good thing you did, though… These’ll cook up nice ‘n’ even.’

‘Thank you,’ Castiel replied. ‘I’m quite good at handling flesh…’

Dean’s breath caught as Castiel’s hand rested on his shoulder. He heard the change in Castiel’s voice. He swallowed and slowly turned his head to meet Leviathan’s eager grin. ‘Uh…Leviathan, right?’ he said carefully.

Leviathan’s grin turned into a delighted smile. ‘Oh, good! I thought you had forgotten!’ He leaned closer and teasingly kissed Dean’s lips. He groaned loudly when Dean placed his hand at the back of his neck and pulled him in for a deeper kiss.

Dean panted as he ended the kiss and rested his forehead against Leviathan’s. ‘What the hell is wrong with me?’

‘You like to put yourself in dangerous situations,’ Leviathan replied. ‘But we can explore your thrill-seeking nature later. Right now, I’m hungry.’ He gave Dean a toothy grin as the man sat back and stared at him miserably.

Dean’s gaze shifted to the black veins decorating Leviathan’s neck and the sides of his face. ‘So, uh… What’s with the…’ He made a gesture to his own neck. He watched in fascination as the veins faded, and he was left staring at an uncomfortable looking Castiel.

‘Your family is not the only one to suffer at the hands of a deranged madman,’ Castiel quietly replied. ‘You needn’t worry, though. I…he… _likes_ you.’

‘Yeah… I got that,’ Dean said. He looked over Castiel and saw blood staining the man’s rolled up sleeves. They were damp and rolled in a fashion different to what Dean had remembered. At least the Maddy had the forethought to try to clean up before attempting conversation. ‘So… What, exactly, are you guys expecting in trade for this?’ he asked, raising his new arm. He smirked in amusement as Castiel blushed and ducked his head.

‘I do believe Levianthan made his…our…um…wishes quite clear,’ Castiel replied.

‘So are you the same or different?’ Dean asked. ‘Is this some weird split personality thing?’

Castiel shook his head and looked up. ‘We’re two sides of the same coin,’ he explained. ‘The same…base, but different manifestations.’

Dean’s brows furrowed. ‘Did… Was it Azazel?’

Castiel rubbed his arm as he looked away. ‘Yes,’ he quietly admitted.

‘So that’s why you guys wanna find him, too. You’re looking for a cure.’

‘My brother is, yes,’ Castiel said after a moment of silence. ‘I don’t… _need_ a cure. I already know how to fix it.’

‘Then why don’t—’ Dean was cut off by Castiel’s hand pressing firmly against his mouth.

Castiel stared past Dean in the direction where he knew his brother and Sam were. He pulled his hand away when he was certain that Gabriel hadn’t overheard. ‘It would be a complete merger of personalities,’ he quietly explained. He looked down as he swallowed. ‘I…I would cease to be. Neither Leviathan nor myself would survive. I would be…someone else, entirely.’

A small gasp escaped his lips as Dean gently cupped his cheek and kissed him. He stared with wide eyes as Dean pulled back.

‘I think…two for the price of one ain’t half bad,’ Dean said. Castiel smiled at him, and Dean schooled his features into something more serious. ‘But the moment you do any weird shit, the two of you are gone. Or three. You and your brother.’

Castiel nodded then bit his lip and looked down at his lap. ‘And by “weird” you mean…?’

‘No cutting off limbs that don’t need it. No makin’ hybrids just to be doin’,’ Dean replied. ‘ _That_ kind of weird.’

‘How do you feel about dissection?’ Castiel asked with a careful tone, glancing up at Dean.

‘Like the deer?’

Castiel gave a quick nod.

Dean leaned back and scratched his head. ‘I guess that’s fine? Just keep it to dinner ‘n’ stuff,’ he said. He looked at meat roasting over the fire and turned the sticks. ‘Don’t be goin’ out of your way to kill random animals you don’t intend to eat.’

‘I can do that. But I must warn you…I have a natural tendency to want to experiment,’ Castiel said as he licked his lips and leaned towards Dean. It was Leviathan’s lips that caught Dean’s. ‘Think of all the… _attachments_ we can try out,’ he whispered as he touched Dean’s left shoulder and trailed his hand down the false arm.

‘Okay, gettin’ weird,’ Dean said as he leaned back. He saw the telltale black veins, but didn’t need them to recognize the feral grin. ‘Same rules apply. Got it?’

Leviathan pouted as he straddled Dean’s lap. ‘Fine. Just feed me.’

‘Yeah. Kinda hard to cook with you manhandling me,’ Dean said with some difficulty. He had to have gone insane. That was the only explanation. He had a Maddy straddling his thighs and kissing at his neck. He may as well be offering up his throat to a vampire.

‘I’m giving you my moral support,’ Leviathan quietly moaned. ‘But… I would not object to being tied up and hand-fed…’

Dean grunted at the mental image as he gripped Leviathan’s hips.

Leviathan hissed and drew back, physically and mentally. ‘D-Dean,’ Castiel said, wincing. ‘I think I may need to make some adjustments.’

Dean opened his eyes and frowned at Castiel. ‘What?’

‘You’re holding me rather tightly, and I believe there will be bruises,’ Castiel explained as he patted Dean’s left shoulder.

Dean’s eyes widened in realization and he quickly released Castiel. ‘Sorry!’

Castiel shook his head as he stood. ‘It’s quite all right,’ he assured. ‘It may just be a case of blood or puss blocking one of the ports. I can fix it after we eat.’

Dean nodded awkwardly as he turned his attention to the fire.

.-.-.-.-.

Gabriel was sitting on the grass at the edge of the small river, happily tinkering away at a slim, four foot contraption. He didn’t look up as he heard someone draw closer.

Sam faltered in his steps as he approached the spot where Gabriel had set up shop. Within the ten minutes he had been gone, the Maddy had turned the pile of random gears and implements into a long rectangular object with a slit running the length. He set the small tool box that Gabriel had requested—which had taken him longer than it should have to locate—next to the Maddy.

‘What are you…is that…’ Sam’s face screwed up in concentration as he looked over every inch of the thing Gabriel was building. Part of it was made from a shelf that Gabriel had pilfered from within the wagon. Bolted to the board were various bits of metal, gears, and vacuum tubes. As he stared at it, it dawned on him that something was supposed to be inserted through one side. The gears would pull it through, and some sort of solution would be spread over it, washed off, then…oiled. Everything would be powered by the current of the water flowing over the base. ‘Is that for tanning?’ he asked, not quite believing it.

Gabriel looked up, clearly impressed with Sam’s observation. ‘Yeah! Speed up the process,’ he said proudly. ‘Be done in about an hour or so instead of days! I made one before that’d take six hours, but I always thought I could make it go faster. And, thanks to Cas’s skinning, I’ll have a perfect pelt! Should make some good money off it.’

‘Is cutting a deal the only thing you think about?’ Sam asked as he knelt down next to Gabriel.

‘What do you mean?’ Gabriel asked distractedly as he went back to work on his automatic tanner.

‘Negotiating Dean’s surgery, the arm…food,’ Sam listed.

‘I’m just looking out for me ‘n’ Cas,’ Gabriel said defensively. ‘Besides, hagglin’ is normal.’

‘Not when someone’s life is on the line,’ Sam pointed out, unable to keep the bitterness from his voice.

Gabriel looked up for a moment and back down. He fidgeted with a spring as he spoke. ‘When a Maddy’s dealing with a hunter, the Maddy’s life is _always_ on the line,’ he said quietly.

‘We don’t _kill_ Maddies,’ Sam said.

‘And what are you plannin’ to do when you find Azazel?’ Gabriel asked. ‘Have Sunday brunch and catch up on old times?’

‘That’s not the same,’ Sam argued. ‘If we come across a Maddy, we take them to the local authorities and let them deal with the Maddy accordingly.’

‘Because _that_ always ends well,’ Gabriel scoffed. ‘Tell me, Sammy, do you hunt down _every_ witch you come across? Every vamp? Werewolf? …Well?’

‘No, but—’

‘Do _they_ have to register?’

‘What? No!’ Sam shook his head in confusion.

‘Then why should _I_?’ Gabriel asked in frustration. ‘Because I’m less than human? Shifters don’t have to let the government know every time they take a new form. They don’t have to be…be tagged! Like cattle!’

‘We’re not making you register!’ Sam snapped.

‘Not now, but you were! You guys were all set to turn us in. Even _after_ Cas helped you!’ Gabriel said as he angrily twisted in a screw.

‘Dean—’

‘Was gonna turn us in. And just how hard were you gonna fight him on it?’ he asked. He glared up Sam, challenging him to deny it.

Sam stared at Gabriel helplessly. ‘I’m sorry,’ he eventually said. ‘It’s…it’s what we’re used to.’

‘And hunters used to kill entire vampire nests just because they existed,’ Gabriel said, not breaking his gaze. ‘Things change. How’s about you start changing your ideas about mad scientists?’

Sam nodded as he looked out at the small river. ‘You’re right. I’m sorry,’ he said quietly. He couldn’t help but wonder how many innocent Maddies he and Dean had sent away. How many lives were ruined because a Maddy got a little too excited over making a water filter or a better branding iron? They had never hurt anyone—just stood out a little too much. He looked over and met Gabriel’s soft smile as an arm was thrown over his shoulder.

‘Hey, it’s okay,’ Gabriel said. ‘Just stay positive. I mean, if _vampires_ can be politicians and get private blood donors, then an up and coming mad scientist, such as myself, stands a chance. Because, seriously? People would trust those damned bloodsuckers over _me_?!’

‘Uh… That’s a little speciesist, Gabriel,’ Sam said, shifting uncomfortably.

Gabriel removed his arm from Sam’s shoulders and stared at him long and hard, making the young hunter even more uncomfortable. ‘And yet you insist on calling me a “Maddy”,’ he said evenly. ‘And here I thought you were more than just a looker.’

‘Sorry,’ Sam quickly apologized, blushing in embarrassment. ‘I didn’t know that was derogatory. Um… I can’t make any promises that I won’t slip up, but… What would you rather I call you?’

‘Gabriel works. Or…’ Gabriel rubbed his chin in thought. ‘Oh, God, I didn’t know tongues could do that… I like that option, too.’ He grinned as Sam laughed and blushed a little brighter. ‘You’re not saying “no”…’

‘And I’m not saying “yes”, either,’ Sam said.

Gabriel’s grin slipped, and he nodded as he turned his attention back to his invention.

‘Yet.’

Gabriel looked up in surprise. ‘Really?’

‘You’re not… I wouldn’t mind spending some more time with you,’ Sam replied.

‘Me either.’ Gabriel smiled brightly as he twirled his screwdriver between his fingers. ‘And don’t worry about the Maddy thing.’

‘What?’ Sam frowned in confusion.

‘I was just givin’ you a hard time,’ Gabriel explained. ‘ _Cas_ is the one that gets offended. You can get away with “Maddy” when he’s in a good mood, but all bets are off if you call him a “nonco.”’

Sam breathed in sharply. ‘I’d never—’

‘Not sayin’ you would,’ Gabriel said, ‘but some people…when they get mad…they try to cause the most damage that they can… A lot of so-called Maddy attacks were retaliation.’

‘Have _you_ ever…retaliated?’ Sam asked hesitantly.

Gabriel looked away. ‘I’ve never taken it out on a town… Just…the individual. If anyone ever died, it was by their own hand,’ he said quietly. ‘Hallucinations are a powerful thing.’

‘How many people have you poisoned?’

‘Honestly?’ Gabriel chewed on his bottom lip before giving Sam an apologetic smile. ‘None.’

‘I don’t count?’ Sam said doubtfully.

‘Er… I didn’t poison you. I lied.’

‘What?!’

Gabriel flinched at Sam’s shout. ‘I panicked! I needed an edge, and you couldn’t prove that I _didn’t_ poison you! I make gadgets and dabble in hallucinogens. Poisons are… That’s a lot darker than I’m capable of. Goes right over my head. I-I’m sorry?’

‘No, you’re not,’ Sam said. Gabriel certainly didn’t look sorry. Just embarrassed.

‘Not really,’ Gabriel admitted.

Sam shook his head, reminding himself that Maddies weren’t always all there in the head. He remembered what it was like, not understanding the emotions of others and only able to think about what he could make out of a broken mousetrap. He stared down at the tanner that Gabriel was making. Something seemed off about it. Just to the left of Gabriel’s hand was a gear that looked a little too small. ‘Is that the right gear?’ he asked, pointing.

Gabriel looked to where Sam was pointing. ‘Huh? This one? Oh…yeah.’ He popped the gear out and replaced it with the proper size. ‘That woulda ended badly! Thanks! Good with machines, huh?’

Sam slowly shook his head. ‘Not really. It just…looked wrong?’ he said uncertainly.

Gabriel narrowed his eyes at Sam. ‘You’re not a Maddy, are you?’ he asked suspiciously.

Azazel and a syringe of black liquid jumped to the forefront of Sam’s mind. He quickly shook his head in denial. ‘I think you just pick up a few things after you’ve hunted Maddies for long enough,’ he said, hoping his excuse came off as believable.

Gabriel nodded in understanding. ‘Makes sense. Well, let’s try this thing out,’ he said as he set the tanner aside. ‘I think Cas has the skins next to where he was working.’

‘I’ll get ‘em,’ Sam said as he stood. His chest tightened as he made his way toward the tree where Castiel had strung up the deer. He had thought the injections that Azazel had given him and the other children had lost their effect. He never felt like he had to make or fix things. He still didn’t feel that way. But he certainly shouldn’t have any idea of how a machine that he had never seen before could possibly work. He thought back to Azazel’s lab. He had always had an uncanny ability to navigate a Maddy’s lab without incident, but, by the final day there, he was able to see that everything in the lab was utter trash. That was when he had noticed that Gabriel was grabbing every little object that was made of precious metals and stones.

He needed to speak with Dean. See if his brother had noticed anything different in his behavior. As much as Gabriel was changing his perception of Maddies, he desperately wanted to avoid being taken over by the Darkness again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Nonco' refers to the government classification of mad scientists: Non compos mentis (not of sound mind). Maddy is a more acceptable term, but Castiel/Leviathan would have you believe that everything is offensive.


	4. Chapter 4

The pair of horses pulled the nomadic wagon along a well-traveled path, heading west. At the rate thye were going, it would be early dusk by the time they reached the next town. In the driver’s seat sat Sam, Gabriel right next to him and waving his arms about as he spoke excitedly.

Sam was feeling edgy. He hadn’t had a chance to speak to his brother about his little discovery. Between Gabriel and Castiel, he just couldn’t find the time to get Dean alone. Dean had approached him shortly after they had eaten, but promised to talk later as Castiel came up, holding what appeared to be a doctor’s bag and wanting to take a look at Dean’s arm.

Presently, Sam was listening to Gabriel prattle on about an idea he had for a machine that would detect various monsters—something about adding it to the green jewel that decorated Dean’s left wrist. He nodded along, masking how disturbed he felt over the fact that he could easily follow the Maddy’s thought process, despite the leaps from one subject to another and back.

A loud shout came from inside the wagon, and Sam turned to look over his shoulder. He opened the small, sliding door and peered inside. ‘Everything alright in there?’ he asked.

Dean glared back at Sam as he lifted what was left of his arm. ‘What do you think?’ he growled.

Sam grimaced, and his stomach turned at the sight of the bare bone sticking out from the stitched up stump. There were small, concave, metal circles dotting Dean’s bicep. One of them was partially hanging out and dripping with blood and puss. Instantly, his mind supplied that the metal circles were the ports that allowed Dean to control the arm. They were a lot more sophisticated than anything he had seen before.

He watched, fascinated and disgusted as Castiel reached up and twisted the port, pulling it free from Dean’s arm, causing Dean to grunt in discomfort.

Castiel examined the screw-like device and sighed. ‘This seems to be the only one,’ he said as he set it in a small bowl of clear liquid. He pulled out a slim, metal tool and poked it into the hole where the port had been. He muttered an apology as Dean’s fist slammed against the wagon’s wall. He pulled it out and held it up to the light streaming in through the open windows.

‘Well?’ Dean prompted. ‘Is it fixed?’

‘Not until I replace the port,’ Castiel replied. ‘I need to flush out the main connector, first. It won’t be pleasant, but I need to get the blood out of there.’

‘Can’t you give him an anesthetic?’ Sam asked.

‘Only if Cas puts him under,’ Gabriel replied. ‘Those are false nerves. Pressure, temperature… Pain if you jab the inner port.’

Sam nodded. ‘You can’t numb a limb that isn’t there…’

‘And how often is this gonna be a problem?’ Dean asked, drawing back Castiel’s attention.

Castiel shook his head. ‘Very rarely. It’s only a problem now because you’re still healing,’ he explained. ‘We could leave the arm off and let you heal completely, but leaving it on helps with your adjustment and rehabilitation.’

Dean sighed as he stared at his stump. He quickly looked away as his eyes fell onto the exposed bone. ‘God, why did you have to leave the bone sticking out?’ he mumbled.

Castiel gently ran his fingertips over the etched lettering, smiling to himself. ‘Because it’s beautiful,’ he quietly replied. He turned and pulled a syringe and bottle from his bag and filled the syringe. He caught Dean’s eye as he let Leviathan take over and raised the syringe. ‘Since this is going to hurt…would you like me to uh… _distract_ you?’

Dean quickly glanced at Sam’s frowning face. He still hadn’t had a chance to speak with him about the familiar sound of the Novak name, nor about Castiel’s…issue. ‘Well, uh…’

Sam shook his head and turned his attention back to the road ahead of him, closing the small, wooden door.

Dean let out a breath and winced as the needle was inserted into the empty port on his arm. ‘Hey, that’s not so bad,’ he said, relieved.

‘Not yet,’ Leviathan assured him as he positioned himself onto Dean’s lap. ‘Try not to move your arm, but feel free to bite me,’ he said as he shifted his hold of the syringe. With his other hand, he stroked Dean’s hair as he leaned in and began teasing Dean’s lower lip.

‘Bite you? What, are you into vamps or something?’ Dean asked before lightly nipping at Leviathan’s lips.

‘Possibly,’ Leviathan admitted. ‘They have a certain…mmm intensity you don’t normally find in humans. When done right, a bite from a vampire can be _quite_ pleasurable.’

Dean nodded in agreement, remembering his own experiences with a vampire. ‘Yeah… Well, I was a vampire once.’

‘I know.’ Leviathan grinned widely before plunging forward and devouring Dean’s mouth with a deep, sensual kiss. The moment Dean began moaning, Leviathan began pushing the syringe plunger down, injecting the liquid into the open port.

Dean pulled away quickly, banging the back of his head against the wall. ‘Shit,’ he hissed. He dug his fingers into Leviathan’s hip as he groaned in pain. Through the pain, he could feel small kisses being left along his jaw and down his neck. He gasped as a wet tongue ran over his right collar bone—just above the light scar that had been left by a vampire he had grown a little too familiar with. He wasn’t expecting the jolt of lust and need he felt as Leviathan sucked at the area in an imitation of vampire’s love bite.

The pain eased away, and Dean was left moaning quietly beneath Leviathan. He wrapped his fingers around Leviathan’s slim tie and tugged him up, claiming his mouth with a dominating kiss. He growled in annoyance as he remembered that he only had one hand. He released his hold of the tie and wrapped his arm around Leviathan, holding him close as he rolled his hips upward.

Leviathan dragged his nails along Dean’s back, moaning happily as Dean held him possessively. He arched his back while Dean’s mouth traveled down, kissing, licking, and nipping until it settled over the base of his neck, just to the left. Teeth lightly grazed his skin, and he opened his mouth in a silent cry as his skin was pierced. He blinked in confusion and drew back when Dean made no further move. Castiel took over to deal with the inevitable aftermath of their little session.

‘Dean? Dean, are you all right?’ Castiel asked, pulling away in confusion. He found Dean staring at his chest, his lip stained with the barest amount of blood. He gently tilted up Dean’s chin as he looked at him with concern. ‘Dean?’

‘I-I…’ Dean’s eyes were wide in shock. He could taste Castiel’s blood on his tongue, and it both disgusted him and elated him. ‘S-sorry,’ he stuttered. ‘I don’t know…I don’t know what happened.’

‘No, it’s fine,’ Castiel assured him. ‘It’s just a remnant from your time as a vampire.’

Dean’s breath caught, and he stiffened.

‘No, no, no!’ Castiel quickly said, cupping Dean’s cheeks. ‘You’re not reverting. That’s impossible. You’re cured for life. You can no longer be infected. You just retain a very minimal amount of vampiric blood and instinct. You…you must have noticed that you’ve had a little more bloodlust than before you were turned?’

Dean raised his eyes to meet Castiel’s. ‘Yeah, but… I never _bit_ anyone!’

‘Oh, um… I highly doubt they were uh… _aiming_ for you to uh…bite them,’ Castiel said, blushing as his eyes darted back and forth.

Dean raised his brows as he stared at the Maddy sitting on his lap. ‘You _made_ me bite you?’ he asked in disbelief.

‘More like… _encouraged_ it,’ Castiel quietly admitted. He tugged at his collar and pulled it aside, revealing near-invisible scars decorating his clavicle. ‘Gabriel says I have a problem…’

‘You’re a _vamp_ _donor_?!’

Castiel shook his head as he moved to sit next to Dean. ‘It’s too much of a risk. The Darkness has a distinct taste to vampires. And, unfortunately, vampires are just as willing to turn in a Maddy as anyone else. After they’ve had their fill, of course.’

‘Find that out the hard way, huh?’ Dean said as he slouched forward. He lifted his stump and examined the empty port. It looked a lot cleaner than before.

‘Gabriel designed a serum to mask the taste,’ Castiel replied. ‘He makes it once a year for my birthday.’

‘Wouldn’t do much good… What with the freaky veins you got goin’,’ Dean said, gesturing to his neck.

‘Leviathan watches from the sidelines,’ Castiel explained. ‘He’s not happy about it, but we keep safe. Leviathan is impulsive, and he’s been quite intrigued ever since we found the scarring and checked your blood. Does this… Is this too…odd for you?’

‘No, I get it,’ Dean said, shaking his head. ‘And _you_ can’t just walk into a blood bar and get hooked up with a vamp.’ He winced as Castiel lifted his stump and began twisting in the main port. It was nowhere near as painful as when it had been removed, but it still throbbed with every twist.

‘So… This can become a regular occurrence?’ Castiel asked as he picked up the harness for the prosthetic arm. He helped place it around Dean’s chest and secured the buckle.

Dean rolled his shoulders as Castiel began attaching the prosthetic. He didn’t think he would ever get used to the sensation of the connectors lining up. It felt like his arm was tingling, itching, and compressed. Castiel’s fingers lingered on his skin after attaching the arm to the harness.

He reached up with his right hand and lifted Castiel’s chin. ‘Don’t think I’ve had the pleasure of kissing _you_ yet,’ he said quietly, grinning at Castiel’s light blush.

‘Y-yes, you have. By the creek,’ Castiel reminded him.

‘That was just a peck. I mean _really_ kiss you,’ Dean said before he leaned in and began kissing the mad scientist.

Whereas Leviathan was quick, passionate, and a tad bit greedy with his kisses, Castiel was the complete opposite. Castiel’s kisses were slow and careful. He took his time in exploring Dean’s mouth, his tongue gently caressing against Dean’s, savoring the taste and feel.

Dean’s hand traveled down Castiel’s neck and over his chest and stomach. He reached the edge of Castiel’s trousers, but was forced to stop when a hand clamped tightly around his wrist. He paused and pulled far enough away to give Castiel a confused look, only to meet Leviathan’s pouting glare.

‘ _I_ get you first,’ Leviathan insisted. ‘ _He_ gets everyone else. _I_ deserve to have someone first for once!’

Dean smirked as he tugged Leviathan forward, earning a sharp gasp. ‘Work’s for me,’ Dean growled as he pulled Leviathan to the back end of the wagon, next to a haphazard pile of blankets.

Leviathan breathed in deeply as he lay back against the blankets. His heart beat with excitement and trepidation. He had never gotten the chance to be around for foreplay—all of his and Castiel’s previous partners had been scared off by the revelation that they were essentially sleeping with two people. Being greeted by a second entity in the middle of sex did not help the libido and never earned an encore performance—even when his partner was warned ahead of time.

He watched silently as Dean knelt and began unbuttoning his vest for him. Should he be helping? Should he do something with his hands? What was he supposed to do? Castiel gently prodded him into touching Dean’s shoulders, suggesting exploration. ‘ _Touch him. Map out his muscles. You were doing just fine, earlier. Just keep going with it. Let him know you want him_ ,’ Castiel’s quietly suggested. ‘ _You needn’t be quiet. Let him know what he’s doing feels good._ ’

‘But they’ll hear,’ Leviathan whispered, glancing up at the small panel on the other side of the wagon.

‘Then be quiet,’ Dean replied.

‘I wasn’t talking to…’ Leviathan trailed off, giving Dean the best apologetic smile he could muster. It wasn’t very convincing.

‘What’s wrong?’ Dean asked with a sigh as he sat back on his heels.

Leviathan shook his head and tugged at Dean’s wrist. ‘Nothing! I’m _fine_ ,’ he assured harshly. Dean gave him a doubtful look, and he gave in. ‘Castiel is giving me…pointers,’ he reluctantly admitted.

Dean stared at Leviathan in silence for a few moments. ‘You’ve never had sex?’

Leviathan sat up, crossing his arms as he glared at Dean. ‘I’ve had _plenty_ of sex. I just…always come late to the party,’ he said grudgingly.

‘Fashionably late, I’m sure,’ Dean said as he leaned forward, pushing Leviathan back. ‘So is it just gonna be you ‘n’ me, or is Cas gonna cut in at some point.’

Leviathan’s eyes drifted to the left as he tilted his head. ‘Just me,’ he eventually replied. ‘He gets you _next time_. After, it will be interchangeable.’

‘Nice to know you’re willing to share,’ Dean said offhandedly as he went back to removing Leviathan’s vest and started undoing the belt.

Leviathan sneered as he ran his fingers through Dean’s hair. ‘I don’t have a _choice_ in the matter,’ he said. ‘He’s the dominant personality. He…humors me, I believe.’

Dean pulled the belt free and looked up to meet Leviathan’s eyes. ‘I thought it was an even split.’

‘Ask him _later_ ,’ Leviathan whined. He reached down and tucked his fingers into Dean’s pants. ‘We split, and he was the first conscious side, all right? Does that help? Keep going! I’ve been good! I’ve been _patient_!’

Dean laughed softly as he undid Leviathan’s pants and slowly pulled them down. He grinned as his head dipped down, and he licked and nipped at Leviathan’s stomach and hips, careful to avoid touching the growing erection.

Leviathan arched his back and groaned softly. Hands and lips were touching him everywhere. Everywhere but where he desperately wanted to be touched. He reached down to guide Dean’s head, but soon found his wrists trapped by his sides. He moaned needily as Dean loomed over him. ‘You’re doing it wrong,’ he whined between gasps.

‘I’m doing it how I like to do it,’ Dean said gruffly as he knelt over Leviathan. ‘Shoulda warned ya’… I like to tease.’ He leaned down and ghosted his tongue over Leviathan’s lips before pulling just out of his captive’s reach. He leaned back in to kiss and bite at Leviathan’s chest through the thin fabric of his shirt, enjoying the soft moans and pleads for more.

Leviathan squirmed and tried to press up into Dean for more contact, but to no avail. He gasped desperately as lips pressed gently along his hip bones, trailing a line of tender, loving kisses. A giddiness overtook him as he felt Castiel’s jealousy of the treatment. Despite the teasing, despite being trapped by strong hands and unable to coax Dean’s journey, this was the highest he had ever felt with another.

He let out a broken cry as Dean’s mouth finally closed around his cock. His wrists were released in favor of trapping his hips in place. He clutched the fabric surrounding him, groaning as quietly as he could—he didn’t want the sweet torture to end by screaming so loudly as to draw the attention of the two men driving the wagon.

Just as quick as the onslaught had begun, it ended, and he was left alone on the blankets. He blinked blearily in confusion as he looked up. Dean’s back was turned to him, and he was searching feverishly through a small box. ‘D-dean? Why did you…?’ He licked his lips as Dean turned back to face him, a phial of oil in his hand and a hungry grin on his face. ‘Oh!’ He spread his legs obligingly as Dean knelt between them and set back to kissing his inner thigh.

Leviathan lost track of time as nimble fingers slowly stroked him from within. He would come so close to the edge, but Dean would constantly back off, giving him a moment’s rest—just enough to drag him back, writhing and begging for the teasing to stop and continue… He wasn’t sure what he wanted anymore. At least, not until Dean’s hard member pressed against him, torturously slow as it entered him.

He dug his nails into Dean’s shoulders as teeth reopened the small wound on his collar. He moved in time, meeting Dean thrust for thrust, moan for moan. He cried out loudly as he found his release, spilling his seed between them and soiling his shirt. He gasped and moaned happily (greedy and high on the ecstasy of having a lover all to himself) as Dean rode him to his own release.

Dean kissed Leviathan, his tongue tracing every small crevice and curve of Leviathan’s teeth. He bit down on Leviathan’s lower lip as he climaxed deep within the warmth of the body beneath him. He panted as his movements slowed, earning the occasional exhausted whine drifting through the air. He stared down at Leviathan and felt the lust rise again within him as he noticed the bloodied lip he had caused. He groaned lowly as a pink tongue darted out and lapped at gathered blood. Instinct drove him forward as he reclaimed Leviathan’s lips, chasing the red liquid—he didn’t desire it, didn’t need it, but he had to have it. He had to have this one claim over the man in his arms.

.-.-.-.-.

‘You seem pretty unperturbed by this turn of events,’ Gabriel said, looking up at Sam as they wandered along an old trapper’s path. ‘You know it’s gonna reek of sex, right?’

Sam shrugged nonchalantly. ‘Wouldn’t be the first time,’ he replied.

Gabriel pulled up short, staring at Sam’s back as the taller man continued along the path. ‘I slept in Dean’s _love den_?!’

Sam grimaced and glanced over his shoulder at Gabriel, a light blush tinting his cheeks and ears. ‘Actually…if it’s _anyone’s_ …er “love den,” it’s mine,’ he said hesitantly.

Gabriel’s mouth dropped open before snapping shut. ‘Oh! So, uh… Will _I_ be invited to join you in your wagon of ill repute anytime soon?’ he asked, jogging a few steps to Sam’s side.

Sam gave him a lopsided smile before he started walking again.

Gabriel groaned miserably as he trudged after Sam. Was his eagerness scaring the other man off? He didn’t think that was the case. So, what was it? Why was Sam so hesitant to bed him? It was probably because he was a Maddy.

Hunters moved fast with their relationships. They never knew if they would see tomorrow, so they lived in the here and now. Other than the occasional travelling merchant or monster, hunters were a guaranteed night of passion with little or no regret.

At this rate, he was never going to get laid. He hoped the town they were heading towards had some talented girls in its saloon. He cringed as a pleasured cry echoed through the air. Talented or not, he would make Castiel pay for the girls—even if they did share their money. It was the principle of the thing.

‘Sounds like Chompy got what he wanted,’ he said to himself.

‘Who?’

Gabriel’s eyes shot up, not expecting to find Sam so close to him. ‘Er… Cas… Sorta. It’s complicated,’ he replied. How could he explain what was wrong with his brother without making the hunter want to ditch them in the wilderness, or worse…a jailhouse?

Sam frowned as he searched Gabriel’s eyes. He was met with apprehension and a fierce protectiveness. He sighed as he shifted his weight and placed a hand on Gabriel’s shoulder. ‘C’mon, Gabriel. Just tell me. I won’t do anything to hurt either of you. I promise.’

Gabriel looked at Sam’s hand on his shoulder and back up. ‘Azazel did something to him,’ he said quietly. ‘Split his mind… It’s him and Chompy, now. Cas is usually in control, but when he’s tired or emotional, the other one takes control.’

‘Chompy?’ Sam made an incredulous face at the name. ‘Why…’

‘Oh! Don’t call him that. _He_ calls himself “Leviathan.” _I_ call him Chompy ‘cuz the little shit fucking _bit_ me the first few times we got into an argument,’ Gabriel explained. He rolled up his right sleeve to reveal a faded scar of a sparsely dotted circle. ‘Lucky for me, Cas was losing baby teeth left and right.’

Sam grabbed Gabriel’s arm and leaned down for a closer look. ‘Jesus, Gabe…’ He looked up the small trail towards where the wagon and horses were, worry evident on his face. He was about to head up the path, but Gabriel held his sleeve tightly.

‘He’s…fine, now. Just looking for a cure. It’s why we’re following Azazel,’ Gabriel quietly admitted. ‘The uh…vaccine, if you will.’

‘Was he…injected with something?’ Sam asked, apprehension rising within him. What if Castiel had been submitted to the same tortures he had endured under Azazel’s hand? How would such a thing affect a Maddy?

‘Probably,’ Gabriel replied with an uncertain shrug. ‘I don’t know exactly what happened. Just that…when Azazel was done with him…he… I found him in a pile of trash,’ he whispered, his voice shaking from the memory. ‘There was blood everywhere…and limbs and entrails…he…he was discarded like an old sack! Left out with the garbage to rot under Azazel’s _other_ failed experiments. God, he…he was never the same.’

‘Was he one of Azazel’s… _special children_?’ Sam asked. He knew there had been others. Knew there were other survivors, but he had yet to meet any.

‘Uh…’ Gabriel shifted uncomfortably under Sam’s gaze. ‘M-more like a uh…a _prelude_. After I took him home, he woke up the next day, but didn’t speak for a whole month. It was like he just wasn’t in there. And when…when he finally did speak…’

He cast his eyes downward and hugged himself. ‘He was a shadow of who my brother used to be. There was no playfulness, no wonder, no…nothing. He never got upset. Never felt like he needed to take things apart like he used to.’

‘As if…the Madness was… _gone_?’ Sam asked. It would make sense. If Azazel had experimented in giving the Madness to normal children, then why _wouldn’t_ he try to remove it from a child that already had it?

Gabriel rubbed his neck as he looked up at the sky. ‘Well… I guess so,’ he relented. ‘He just wasn’t interested in seeing how things worked. He seemed lost. And then…for a few months, I would always find him staring at his reflection. Shoulda known something was up,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘He cut himself on a broken glass, and then… He just…he just started convulsing on the floor, and the next thing I knew… It was no longer Cas, but…Leviathan. Everything that was missing from Cas was in Leviathan.’

‘So you’re looking for a way to fuse his mind back together,’ Sam said.

Gabriel sighed as he shifted his gaze to Sam. ‘I guess. But…I think he’s better off like this. It was a lot harder for us to hide before the split, but, now, Cas is sane enough to pass for normal,’ he said uncomfortably. He had never admitted it aloud before, and getting the confession off his chest made him feel a little more at ease. ‘Don’t get me wrong. Chompy still needs looking after, but Cas can control him for the most part. They’ve sort of…equalized over the years. Cas has his old interests back, and Chompy’s settled down into more of a deviant. Best way to describe it: Cas is the Madness, and Chompy is the Darkness.’

‘Then why are you looking for a cure?’

Gabriel laughed as he shrugged. ‘Honestly? It’s something to do. Keeps us moving around,’ he replied. ‘Cas wants to find a cure, so…let him. If he fails, then…oh, well. No big loss. At least it keeps him busy, and I’m here for him if he needs me.’

Sam nodded in understanding. He wished he had had Gabriel’s mindset of sticking with his brother a few years ago when Dean had gotten caught up in hunting down a band of vampiric train robbers. Instead, he had let Dean join the posse of six other experienced hunters, confident that they would succeed, and that Dean would return with his cut of the bounty. He had headed back home, and the days stretched on with no word from Dean. Just as he was growing frantic with worry, Dean turned up on their doorstep—well over a month later, and looking like he had been dragged to hell and back. Sam hadn’t said anything as Dean wordlessly set half of the total bounty on the kitchen table before sequestering himself in his room for weeks. Dean never spoke of what had happened, but Sam had a pretty decent idea from the new scars that Dean had worn home.

He was pulled from his reverie as Gabriel lightly touched his wrist.

‘C’mon. They should be done now,’ Gabriel said, nodding to the path. ‘I’ll introduce you to Chompy. He’s always happy to meet new people.’


	5. Chapter 5

Dean stretched as he looked around the area they had stopped. There was no sign of Sam and Gabriel, and he had a pretty good idea as to why. He smirked to himself and turned to face the sound of footsteps coming up to him. His smile softened at the sight of Castiel frowning at the rumpled shirt in his hands. He let his eyes travel downward, and his smile dropped in an instant.

Upon Castiel’s torso was the ragged scar of a sigil that had been deeply carved into his skin. Above it were a smattering of faded bite marks that decorated his clavicle. He looked up and frowned at Dean’s expression. ‘Dean?’

Dean opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by Gabriel’s shout.

‘Hey, Cas!’ Gabriel shouted as he approached. ‘Oh, hey! You’re out. Good! Wanted to talk to Chompy.’

Castiel’s hold of his shirt tightened, and his eyes shifted from Gabriel to Sam. ‘Would that be wise?’

Gabriel nodded as he came closer and waved Sam over. ‘I already told him everything,’ he explained. ‘It’d be better if he met Chompy in a controlled setting.’

Castiel stared at Sam in uncertainty, his unease only growing at Sam’s friendly smile. He glanced at Dean for an opinion, but Dean’s eyes hadn’t moved from the scarring on his chest. ‘I suppose that would be the better option,’ he said. He sighed and closed his eyes. He gently, but forcefully, urged Leviathan from the dark corner of his mind.

Leviathan growled in irritation as he was forced to take control. He breathed heavily, eyes wide, as he clutched the shirt tightly to his chest, eyes flying between the three men that surrounded him. He felt exposed and betrayed. The two people he trusted the most had thrown him into the open with so little warning. He flinched when Dean’s hand came to rest on his arm. He slowly looked up to find Dean’s concerned gaze on him. ‘What?’

‘Your scar’s black,’ Dean said simply. He expected that the black veins would cover more than just the Maddy’s neck and cheeks, but he had not been prepared for the sight that greeted him. The scarred sigil was a deep black with veins branching out from it. They traveled up his neck to the familiar pattern he was used to and along his arms, ending just past the crook of his elbow. A few stretched over his stomach and faded out as they reached his navel. Had Dean bothered to push Leviathan’s shirt up, he would have been greeted by the sight.

‘Yeah. That’s the main way to tell the difference between them,’ Gabriel said to Sam as he pointed. He didn’t skip a beat when Leviathan swatted his hand away. ‘You can actually _see_ the Darkness flowing through him. It’s pretty neat when you think about it. Darkness personified.’

‘I’m _not_ your experiment to study!’ Leviathan growled.

Sam couldn’t take his eyes off of the black veins. It reminded him too much of the black liquid he had been injected with as a child. Was that what happened to Castiel? Had he been injected so much with the strange concoction that it had manifested itself within him?

As his eyes drifted over the black lines, they caught on the sigil. The more he stared, the more familiar it became. He had seen it before. In Azazel’s notes. It was such a simple design, yet it spoke of such a powerful, old magic. When he had asked what it was, Azazel had replied that it was a failed pursuit, but it was not without its fruits.

‘So anyway,’ Gabriel said, pulling Sam from his thoughts. ‘Sam, meet Chompy. Chompy, Sam.’

‘Do _not_ call me that!’ Leviathan hissed.

‘Yeah, yeah. _Leviathan_ ,’ Gabriel said with a snotty tone.

Sam raised his eyes to meet Leviathan’s, giving him a somber look. ‘Nice to meet you, Leviathan,’ Sam said, trying to force some cheerfulness into his voice.

Leviathan regarded Sam with suspicion before nodding in acknowledgement. He didn’t like the spark of recognition that flitted past Sam’s eyes as he stared at the sigil. Castiel reassured him that it was only because Sam and Dean had been chasing after Azazel. They had no insight as to what the sigil was used for.

.-.-.-.-.

The sun was beginning to set when Benny Lafitte drew back the curtain in his small room at the back of the hotel.  It wasn’t much of a view—just the alley below his room and the backs of the buildings across the way. He sighed as he turned to his dresser and began to dress. He had a really good gig going in the town. All the blood he could ever want, a dark room, decent pay, and boring peacefulness.

It was about time he moved on. He had been on the straight and narrow for years now, but with an honest lifestyle came a certain degree of dullness he hadn’t remembered. He had been offered the chance to jump right into bounty hunting, but he had wanted to settle down. Enjoy a life without stress or worry. A life without excitement.

A knock echoed in his sparsely decorated room, interrupting his thoughts. He opened the door and found one of the dancers standing in the hall, wringing her hands nervously. ‘Somethin’ wrong?’ he asked.

‘There’s a group of men downstairs. Real twitchy-like,’ she said quietly. ‘Sheriff’s askin’ for you.’

Benny nodded and followed the girl down the hall to the staircase. He was the town’s live-in Maddy detector, and he was damned good at his job. One drop, and he knew instantly if the human had the Madness. He rounded the corner and his eyes fell upon three men sitting at a table. The tallest of which was shifting nervously. The shorter two men where conversing as one drew blood with a syringe. Around them, the other hotel patrons looked on with suspicion.

Benny dropped into the empty seat at their table and smile genially. ‘Good evening, friends,’ he greeted as he picked up a shot glass that had been set in front of the empty chair. It was filled halfway with blood. He let his teeth slip out as he grinned and raised a brow as the man to his left squirmed.

‘Eveni—ouch!’ Gabriel shouted before slapping Castiel’s arm. ‘Warn a guy before you pour alcohol on him!’

Castiel smirked as he emptied the syringe into a shot glass and placed it in front of Gabriel. He set the syringe aside and pulled a clean one form his bag. He rolled his left sleeve up further and set about drawing his own blood. He glanced up and caught the vampire staring. He resisted the urge to let the blood drip down his arm as he pulled the needle from his arm.

‘Looks like you’ve done that before,’ Benny said, pulling his gaze away from the small bead of blood that was forming on Castiel’s arm.

‘I should hope so,’ Castiel said as he emptied the syringe into the shot glass in front of him. ‘I am a doctor, after all.’

Benny glanced between the three men. The two shorter ones seemed perfectly at ease, but the tallest… He hoped the kid wasn’t a Maddy on edge. He didn’t like dealing with the aftermath of revealing a Maddy, and he didn’t want to run the risk of giving a pass on a Maddy that wasn’t in the know. He was about to bring the shot glass he held to his lips when he noticed that there were still three other glasses of blood. ‘Are we missing someone?’ he asked.

‘He’s yelling at the stable boy,’ Gabriel replied. ‘Way too overprotective of that horse.’

Benny shrugged before downing the mouthful of blood. His eyes widened in shock. He had never expected to come across _that_ particular taste again. He ran his tongue over his teeth, wishing that he had taken his time. Not that it mattered. If Dean Winchester really was going to be staying the night, he could easily convince the hunter to spend it with him.

‘What is it? We got ourselves a damned Maddy on our hands?’ asked a man that had hovering nearby, his hand on the gun at his hip, and a sheriff’s star on his chest.

Benny chuckled as he set the glass back on the table, shaking his head. ‘Nothing like that,’ he replied. ‘Just an old friend. Wouldn’t have needed to draw blood had I known. I can guarantee Dean Winchester wouldn’t be caught dead in the company of a Mad Scientist.’ He reached over and pulled the glass from in front of Sam closer. ‘But, I won’t say “no” to fresh blood.’

The sheriff relaxed minutely, not taking his hand from his gun. ‘That’s all well and good, but that don’t explain why that one’s so nervous,’ he said, nodding at Sam.

‘Oh, Sam’s fine,’ Gabriel replied. ‘He’s just worried that everyone’s gonna get all up in arms about Cas’s addiction.’

‘I do _not_ have an addiction,’ Castiel easily replied. He looked at Benny as he crossed his arms. ‘I like to partake of opium on the weekends. It does not interfere with my work as a doctor.’

Benny raised his brow at Castiel as he brought the shot glass to his lips. Sam’s blood hit his tongue, and he could taste the familial ties to Dean. But there was something else, skirting on the edge. It was like the aftertaste the Madness left, but as soon as he placed it, it was gone, leaving him with nothing but the taste of human blood. ‘Clean,’ he said as he set the glass down and reached for the one in front of Gabriel.

Gabriel gave a friendly smile as Benny tipped the glass back. ‘Clean, right?’

Benny raised his brow at the Maddy. Apparently, Gabriel hadn’t told his companion about the notching on the town’s welcome sign. He wondered if that was the reason Dean was off yelling at the hotel’s stable boy—too on edge with worry of his travelling companion being exposed. He nodded as he declared Gabriel safe and traded for the final glass.

Castiel watched Benny carefully as the vampire sipped at his blood. He caught the barest hint of a confused frown, and he raised his brow in response. ‘Well?’ he prompted as Benny stared at the empty glass, licking his lips.

Benny dragged his eyes back up to Castiel. Whereas the other Maddy had a pretty even balance of Madness and Darkness, this one… The blood he had just tasted was like pure, concentrated Madness. And it was delicious. ‘Yeah,’ he said. ‘You’re clear.’ He wondered if he would be able to convince the Maddy for another shot of blood later. Trade a pint for a pint, perhaps. Maddies were all for getting their hands on new samples.

‘Good!’ The sheriff clapped Benny on the back before turning away. ‘Sorry for the inconvenience, but you gents understand, right? Can’t have any Noncos runnin’ ‘round these parts, mutilatin’ these good people.’

Castiel watched as the sheriff left, making a quick stop at the bar to pick up one of the dancers. His eyes narrowed at the man’s back.

‘If that kid lays one wrong finger on Baby, so help me!’ Dean growled as he came closer to the table. He glared down at the empty glasses, each with small traces of blood lingering, and crossed his arms over his chest. He had been so drawn into Baby’s wellbeing that he had momentarily forgotten about the town’s Maddy test. He knew Castiel had told him not to worry—he had thought that maybe Gabriel had mixed up some of that stuff that Castiel had mentioned earlier, but he didn’t think there had been any time. As Castiel had drawn his blood, he was about to just have them turn tail and run, but Castiel had stared past him, questioning what was happening to his horse. He had been tricked.

‘So, we all good here?’ he asked, ready to start throwing punches if it came down to it.

Benny leaned back and tilted his head toward Dean, giving him a toothy grin. ‘Clean pass on everyone,’ he replied. ‘How’ve you been, brother?’ he asked as he stood.

Dean’s breath caught, and his arms fell to his sides. ‘Benny…’ In an instant, his arms were wrapped around the vampire, pulling him close in a tight hug. ‘God, it’s been so long!’ He looked up from Benny’s shoulder and caught Castiel giving him a hard stare. He cleared his throat as he reluctantly let go. ‘So, yeah. I’ve been good… Uh… You? Stayin’ outta trouble?’

Sam watched the exchange with interest as Dean and Benny caught up. Even though his brother had never said anything, he always knew that Dean had had a vampiric lover at one point in his past. He was jostled as Gabriel stood up. ‘Gabe?’

‘Oh, uh… Sorry,’ Gabriel muttered, keeping an eye on Castiel, who had just packed up his bag and was heading to the back door. ‘It’s probably nothing, but just in case…’

Sam nodded as Gabriel quickly followed after the other Maddy. He looked back over as Dean called his name.

‘Sam, this is Benny,’ Dean said as he and Benny sat down. ‘Benny, my brother, Sam.’

‘Pleasure to meet you,’ Benny said as he reached across the table to shake Sam’s hand.

Sam hesitantly took Benny’s hand and gave it a firm shake. ‘Yeah… So, how exactly do you two know each other?’ he asked. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Dean’s quick grimace.

‘Dean got himself into a spot of trouble a while back, and I helped him out,’ Benny replied. ‘And he helped me out in return.’

Sam’s eyes widened as he made the connection. ‘The train robbers…’

Benny surreptitiously placed a finger over his lips before continuing the motion as if to straighten the collar of his coat.

Sam’s brows came together, and he directed his attention to his brother. ‘We need to talk later,’ he said quietly. ‘About more than just this.’

.-.-.-.-.

Gabriel caught up to Castiel behind the hotel. ‘Cas! Whatever you’re planning, stop!’ he said in a harsh whisper.

Leviathan glanced back at Gabriel as he edged along the building to a side alley. He peered around the corner before casually walking down the alley and across the dirt road, Gabriel trailing close behind. He made his way along the walkway, not bothering to quiet his steps. ‘Such a _lovely_ town, isn’t it?’ he said conversationally.

‘Yeah. Looks like it’s growing real steady,’ Gabriel replied, looking around. He groaned internally as they drew closer to the small wooden building that doubled as the sheriff’s office and local jail. He could hear muffled sounds coming from within the building and could easily guess what the sheriff was up to. ‘Please don’t,’ he whispered. ‘You’re gonna get yourself killed…’

Leviathan turned and went down the side of the building to the back where a small stable sat. He quietly entered the stable and grinned at the sight that greeted him. There were four stalls, each with a name carved into the wood of the gate—one of which had a star. And a padlock. Leviathan walked up to the stall and reached his hand out to the horse.

Gabriel remained in the doorway, keeping a lookout. ‘Oh, God, please don’t kill the horse,’ he pleaded.

Leviathan smiled as he stroked the horse’s nose. ‘Why would I harm this magnificent creature?’ he asked. ‘ _She_ didn’t wrong me. No…I’m going to free her,’ he said as he ran his finger over the padlock.

‘And then have everyone in town gunnin’ after a horse thief. Nice. Lemme talk to Cas.’

‘We are in agreement,’ Leviathan replied as he knelt down and opened his bag. He rolled up his sleeve and pulled a syringe form the bag. He stuck the needle into a black vein at the crook of his elbow and drew the plunger back. He glanced back at Gabriel as the syringe filled with a viscous, black substance. He removed the needle and stood, ignoring Gabriel’s quiet pleas for him stop.

‘No, no, no, no…’ Gabriel bounced from foot to foot in agitation. He should stop his brother—should probably just tackle him and deal with the anger and consequences later—but he also wanted to see the outcome. Combining Leviathan’s blood with animals yielded interesting results. The bees had been the most interesting to date. Every time word surfaced about the pyramid-building bees of southern Virginia, Castiel would puff up just a bit.

‘Tell me…why would she be the only horse that requires a lock?’ Leviathan asked as he examined the syringe. ‘Especially when it’s not even locked…’

Gabriel let his shoulders fall and closed his eyes as he tilted his head back with a soft groan. ‘I’m gonna regret this later,’ he mumbled as he turned from the open doorway and went to stand by Leviathan’s side. ‘Hey, pretty girl,’ he said soothingly as he petted the horse’s neck. ‘Just gonna be a little prick, then…well…something.’

‘And your world will become so much bigger,’ Leviathan said before sticking the needle into the horse’s neck.

The brothers watched with an interested eye as the horse shook her head and whinnied softly. She turned from them and paced her small stall, stamping and kicking at the ground. They backed away as her head swung around and she tried to nip at them.

Gabriel tugged on Leviathan’s sleeve. ‘We should go before she gets it in her head to start a ruckus…’ He looked over to see that Castiel was back in control and gave his brother a slap upside the head. ‘What were you thinking?!’

‘It seemed like a good idea at the time,’ Castiel quietly replied. His eyes flicked from the horse to the bag that lay just in front of the stall door. ‘We can’t leave without my bag.’

Gabriel looked back at the horse and shrank into Castiel under her glare. ‘Maybe there’s a pitchfork nearby?’ He glanced around and smiled when he found one. ‘There, see? We’ll just grab that, then use it to get your bag back.’ He flinched as the horse snorted loudly.

‘Yes, and how do you suggest we _get_ the pitchfork?’ Castiel asked.

Gabriel gave Castiel a withering gaze and stepped forward. He stopped in his tracks just as a large head came into view. He watched helplessly as the horse knocked the pitchfork over, so that is lay just  behind Castiel’s bag. She bared her teeth and nickered.

‘She’s laughing at us,’ Gabriel said miserably as he crossed his arms. ‘This is worse than the cat. There’s an idea! Maybe we can bribe her?’

Castiel stepped away from Gabriel with his hands raised. ‘Uh, Miss? If you don’t mind, I need to retrieve my bag. If anyone knows that we’ve been here, then not only will they lock _us_ up, but they’ll place _you_ under quarantine,’ he said as he slowly moved closer.

The horse made no move as Castiel came within her reach. Her world was growing at such an alarming pace, and it was hard for her to keep up. She wanted to sleep. She wanted to play. She wanted to get her new thoughts straightened out. There were so many new things she needed to do, but she was locked up.

Fear and intrigue gripped her mind as she listened to the quietly babbling humans. Before, she could understand a few commands. Body language and tone were fairly easy, but humans could sometimes fake it. Scent was easy. But now…now, she fully understood what was being said. She had no idea what a ‘quarantine’ was, but, from the way the human spoke, it wasn’t likely to be good. The human wanted his bag so that he could leave, but she didn’t want the new humans to leave. They smelled nice. They were friendly—friendlier than the man that thought he was her master. They brought her such a new insight of the world. It was such a lovely, scary gift, all for her, and now the humans wanted to leave her.

She watched as Castiel bent down, keeping eye contact, and blindly reached for his bag. She leaned forward and sniffed at his hair as he sat stock still. She caught a whiff of fear from him and gently nibbled reassuringly at his hair. If she was nice to him, then maybe he would come back. She nuzzled his head, drinking in his scent, memorizing it. She latched onto Castiel’s tie as he stood and gave it a tug.

Castiel lightly petted her neck as he tried to step away. ‘It’s all right,’ he whispered. ‘You’ll find a way out. I promise.’ He smiled as she let go of his tie and butted her nose against his head. He turned to find Gabriel giving him a disapproving stare. He looked away as he walked past his brother and led the way back to the hotel.

‘You know what’s gonna happen,’ Gabriel said as they made their way back to the main street. ‘It’s gonna be that damned cat all over again. I just know it.’

‘You may have hated the cat, but I recall you liked the dog,’ Castiel replied as he walked through the hotel’s main entrance.

‘Hey! Spot was different,’ Gabriel said defensively. ‘He was loyal and smart and…and…he didn’t chew on things, and he never mauled anyone.’

‘Who’s mauling what, now?’ Dean asked as he came up to the pair. He looked between them, not hiding his suspicion. ‘Where did you two get off to?’

‘I was under the impression that you wanted some privacy to catch up with your _friend_ ,’ Castiel replied. ‘I removed myself from the situation before my jealousy could affect me and make me less agreeable.’

Dean looked away, slightly ashamed that he had suspected Castiel of being up to mischief. ‘Yeah…sorry,’ he said. He nodded to the table where Sam and Benny still sat. ‘C’mon and have a drink. There’s nothin’ between me and Benny anymore.’ He looked back at Castiel. It was probably his hopeful imagination, but he could have sworn that Castiel has said ‘pity’ just under his breath.

Gabriel held Castiel’s elbow, pulling him back. He leaned in close and whispered into his brother’s ear. ‘Jealousy, my ass! If you had your way, they would _both_ be in your bed by midnight!’

Castiel glanced back at Gabriel, giving him a small smirk. ‘Who said I won’t?’

.-.-.-.-.

Gabriel was at the bar, drunkenly flirting with a pair of women—much to Sam’s chagrin. The Maddy had effectively laid off on his advances, and was putting all of his efforts into attracting one or more of the hotel’s dancers. Sam looked away, berating himself for being jealous. There was nothing established between them, and Gabriel hadn’t been quiet about how he was determined to ‘get a girl at discount’ while they were in town.

‘You know,’ Castiel said, breaking into Sam’s thoughts, ‘if you were to go up to him, you would save me a few dollars. You wouldn’t even have to put much effort into it. He’s more than agreeable when drunk.’

‘If he wants to trade in his girls for me, then he knows where to find me,’ Sam replied.

‘Or he’ll just share…’ Castiel leaned away and averted his gaze as Gabriel returned to their table. He tried to turn his attention to Dean and Benny—the vampire was admiring Dean’s prosthetic and not even making an effort to keep his wandering hands formal.

Gabriel leaned heavily on his brother. ‘Cassie-boy, I need your money,’ he whined. ‘I managed to talk them down to half price, but only if they get to watch me ‘n’ Sam go at it.’

‘Excuse me?’ Sam pulled on Gabriel’s arm and gave him a sour look. ‘I am not part of your negotiation.’

‘You sayin’ you _don’t_ wanna kiss me?’ Gabriel pouted. ‘Thought we had somethin’ goin’ ‘tween us…’

‘What? No—yes… Not like…this,’ Sam replied, flustered. ‘Not with _hookers_.’

‘Hey, it’s a respectable business. _I_ was a hooker for a week. Pays damned well! Even _after_ a saloon takes their commission,’ Gabriel slurred as he leaned on Sam’s shoulder. He looked over to the pair of girls still at the bar and waggled his fingers at them. ‘Werewolves. Werewolves are the best. The blonde is a werewolf. If _you’re_ not gonna take the edge off, then I’m gonna get _her_ to help.’

Sam didn’t look amused as Gabriel reached in front of him and drank what left of a small glass of whiskey. ‘Just go have your fun,’ he said, shrugging Gabriel off his shoulder.

‘No need to be grumpy, oh, jilted not-lover of mine,’ Gabriel pouted. He leaned close to Sam’s ear. ‘It’s either this, or I grab my _special_ luggage and entertain myself.’ He stood straight—or as straight as he could—and raised his brow at Sam in challenge.

Sam glared up at Gabriel. ‘Then with that attitude, I guess you’ll be finding your entertainment elsewhere from here on out.’

Gabriel’s heart sped up, and his face flushed pink in anger and embarrassment. He stumbled as Castiel grabbed hold of his elbow and led him away. He was aware of Castiel giving onlookers the excuse of him being either a happy drunk or a violent drunk. He was shoved into a small room with a pair of small beds against one wall and a window on the other. He glared at the drab, blue curtain on the window, wanting nothing more than to flay Sam’s skin from his body and replace it with the worn fabric.

‘So? Do we get to play with your new _toy_?’ Leviathan asked as leaned against the door.

Gabriel turned to face Leviathan. He felt himself calm down at the sight of his brother’s unhinged smile. They were in the wrong town to be having any sort of close calls. They were already pushing it with the horse. ‘No…no, it’s fine. _I’m_ fine. Just…upset. Can I speak to Cas?’

‘I’m not good enough?’ Leviathan asked, narrowing his eyes.

‘Actually, yeah. You’ll keep me balanced, but keep Cas in the loop and don’t lie on his input,’ Gabriel replied.

Leviathan cocked his head curiously and nodded for Gabriel to continue. He was rarely included in the brotherly heart-to-hearts, and as boring as they were, he still found them interesting.

‘How did you guys get Dean to sleep with you?’ Gabriel asked. ‘I mean, the guy was totally against Maddies at the start, but here you are. Getting laid with Mr. Maddy Hunter.’

Leviathan smiled smugly. ‘I negotiated our intimacy for his arm. _Quite_ the tradeoff, I think. He has the remnants of vampire instinct,’ he said, lightly stroking his throat. ‘And there’s something between him and that vampire down there. If I plan it right, then I can have them both.’

Gabriel stared at his brother slack-jawed. How was _Leviathan_ , of all people, able to nab a Maddy hunter—who happened to be an ex-vampire— _and_ be on his way to arranging his perfect threesome? Gabriel had spent more time with Sam and had actually built up a fragile friendship. _He_ should be the one with a bedmate, not Leviathan. ‘What am I doing wrong?’ he wailed miserably.

‘You should have kissed him when you came back to the table. Staked your claim,’ Leviathan said. He looked to the side and nodded. ‘Castiel agrees, and thinks you should have informed him that the girls didn’t interest you. No matter how obvious _that_ lie would have been.’

‘Do you think I still have a chance?’

‘Of course! It wouldn’t be that hard to change his mind,’ Leviathan replied. ‘Just a little tap here…take out a smidgen of brain matter there… Apart from a small scar, he wouldn’t have a clue.’

Gabriel nodded along before rapidly shaking his head. ‘No! That’s not an option!’

‘Then I don’t think you have a chance.’

‘Is that what Cas thinks?’ Gabriel asked.

‘He’s busy plotting our ménage et trois.’ Leviathan gasped as Gabriel grabbed him by the vest and gave him a shake.

‘Dammit, Cas! Stop being selfish and help me!’ Gabriel let go as the black lines faded from his brother’s cheeks.

Castiel looked down at Gabriel in annoyance. ‘I don’t know what you expect _me_ to do.’

‘Some advice would help,’ Gabriel grumbled. He sighed and moved to the window. Outside, the occasional passerby would wander down the street. He looked up to night sky and thinned his lips as the flashing light of a small aeroplane flew far overhead. ‘Everyone is having fun but me.’

Castiel joined him at the window and followed his gaze. ‘You could include him in building something,’ Castiel suggested. ‘He might enjoy watching you get lost in your work. Like Mother did with Father…’

‘Yeah… That seemed to work with the tanning machine,’ Gabriel said. Maybe he could start tinkering while they traveled. Sam might get a kick out of a little clockwork ballerina. He looked at Castiel’s reflection in the window and gave a sly grin. ‘Too bad that doesn’t work with Dean, huh?’

Castiel grimaced and quickly looked away. ‘I wish I _could_ share my interests…but I think the blood reminds him of the bloodlust, and he still has to accept that part of himself.’

A soft knock echoed through the room, and the pair of brothers turned to look at the door. Gabriel’s brows rose as Sam’s voice drifted through the door.

‘Gabe, can we talk?’

Gabriel stumbled as Castiel gave him a push towards the door. He looked back and gestured at the door, bewildered.

‘Just open it,’ Castiel whispered.

‘What if it’s a trap?’ Gabriel whispered back.

‘Gabriel?’ There was another knock, this time a little harder. ‘Oh, God, please be in there… Gabriel, I’m sorry!’

Gabriel flashed Castiel a triumphant grin as he hopped up to the door. ‘Just a moment!’ he sang.

‘He’s only sorry out of necessity, and you know it,’ Castiel said as he crossed his arms.

‘I will gladly take damage control if it means I don’t have to sleep alone tonight,’ Gabriel replied as he opened the door and smiled up at Sam. He drew back as Sam gave him a displeased frown. ‘Shouldn’t have said that aloud…’

Sam moved past Gabriel and into the room. The door shut, and he turned to face Gabriel. ‘I’m going to assume that’s part of your _condition_ ,’ he said. ‘Do I need to worry about you burning down the town?’

‘Why would I… Hey! I’m not unstable, thank you!’ Gabriel retorted as he leaned his back against the door and crossed his arms. He glared up at Sam and narrowed his eyes at Sam’s hairline. He knew exactly what it would take to free Sam of his scalp and stitch in some rat fur.

‘Gabriel?’ Sam eyed Gabriel warily. He didn’t like the calculating look of a Maddy contemplating their next move being directed at him.

Gabriel shook his head and looked down. ‘I’m fine. So you just came to check on me, huh? Make sure I don’t go on a rampage? Well, I’m not. But I still wouldn’t leave your drink unattended around me,’ he said. ‘Not unless you wanna think you’re a dog for a few hours.’

‘Thanks for warning me,’ Sam said uncertainly.

‘You’d be the first he’s actively warned against trusting him in this state,’ Castiel said helpfully before walking past Sam toward the door. ‘Consider it a compliment.’

Sam watched as Castiel left the room, leaving him alone with Gabriel. ‘So why are _you_ mad at _me_?’ he asked.

Gabriel played back the scene from downstairs in his head. He had yet to look back up at Sam, and refused to do so now. Looking at his actions objectively, he could see how Sam would get the wrong idea—as if he were being brushed off for a couple of cheap floozies. It didn’t change the fact that he still wanted to lash out Sam. ‘You keep rejecting me?’ he petulantly replied.

He sucked on his bottom lip as Sam’s feet came into view. ‘I just don’t wanna sleep alone, and Cas’ll be sleeping with Dean tonight.’

‘Just sleeping?’ Sam asked doubtfully. Gabriel nodded, and Sam rolled his eyes. ‘You could have just asked.’

‘I get frisky in my sleep,’ Gabriel mumbled in reply. ‘It’s easier to just throw sex in at the beginning and blame it on that.’

Sam grimaced at the admission, his mind supplying an unwanted image. ‘You feel your brother up in your sleep?’

Gabriel glanced up, blushing. ‘I’ve been trained not to. A few well-placed punches and kicks’ll do that to you… So, if you hold me a certain way, I won’t do it,’ he said with a slight smile. ‘Though…you might be too tall for that to work.’

Sam stared at Gabriel as he contemplated his choices. He wouldn’t mind the company, but how well could he control himself if Gabriel _did_ start something? Judging by the look on the Maddy’s face, that was the idea.

‘Fine,’ he relented.


	6. Chapter 6

‘I dunno,’ Dean said as he watched his brother hightail it upstairs, ‘I can see _Cas_ having a meltdown for something small, but not Gabe.’

‘When you start mixing drinks with that sort of…personality,’ Benny replied, glancing around carefully, ‘a lot of unexpected things happen. If they didn’t have keepers, I would have kept them from drinking.’

‘We’re not their keepers,’ Dean said as he rolled his eyes. ‘But thanks for the warning anyway. This whole thing has been one crazy, runaway train ride.’ He sighed as he leaned back and nursed his whiskey.

‘Wouldn’t mind having one last ride,’ Benny said wistfully, letting his eyes slowly travel over Dean’s body.

Dean laughed and nodded as he stared at his shot glass. He glanced back up at Benny and smiled softly. ‘Wouldn’t mind that myself,’ Dean admitted. ‘But…’

‘But your little… _friend_ might not really appreciate it,’ Benny finished.

‘I dunno… He’s really turned on by my ex-vamp status,’ Dean said with a shrug.

‘Oh, yeah?’

‘Yeah. Freaked me out at first,’ Dean said with a laugh. ‘Apparently, I still have a bit of blood lust.’

‘And with _that_ blush, I’d say it was an emphasis on the _lust_ ,’ Benny said with a toothy grin.

Dean nodded, returning the grin. ‘If things were different… If…well, if I weren’t weirdly tied down, I’d try to convince you to tag along.’

‘Been thinkin’ of movin’ on, so I’d’ve probably jumped at the chance,’ Benny admitted. His eyes roamed over the other patrons, and he saw Castiel approaching. ‘I will tell you one thing…that boy tastes _mighty_ good.’

Dean followed Benny’s gaze. ‘Everything good with Gabe?’ he asked as Castiel came up to the table.

‘He’ll be fine. Possibly more insufferable because Sam is giving him what he wants,’ Castiel said as he sat next to Dean.

‘So there was no need to worry?’ Benny asked.

Castiel shook his head. ‘We’re quite capable of…not starting fights,’ he said carefully.

‘Good to know,’ Benny said, relaxing. If the pair of Maddy brothers were that in control, then at least he wouldn’t have to worry about a Maddy having a breakdown caused by jealousy.

‘Unless we’re personally offended…or someone tries to steal from us,’ Castiel added distractedly as he stared at Benny. He wanted to feel Benny’s bite—to feel his blood slowly pulled from his veins. All while basking in Dean’s passion. _They_ had gotten to feel each other, and he certainly wouldn’t mind watching _that_. He sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. Leviathan reminded him of the horse from a little earlier, and Castiel’s lips went tight. ‘ _Then_ we may lash out, but uh…we try to refrain from being violent,’ he said, hoping that it was with a reassuring tone. From the look on Benny’s face, it wasn’t.

He quickly tried to make up for it as Leviathan chastised him for the slip up. ‘So how did you two meet?’

‘Well, I was after a bounty, and uh…things went south,’ Dean replied.

Castiel raised a brow and gave a small smirk. ‘Is that how you meet everyone you know…intimately?’

Dean and Benny laughed nervously. There was a certain glint to the Maddy’s eye that neither could properly place, and Benny couldn’t tell if it was on the edge of joking or threatening.

‘Yeah, so uh… That’s when I got infected,’ Dean continued. ‘And uh… Benny helped me out with gettin’ the cure.’

‘So would you be the one responsible for…’ Castiel trailed his finger along his clavicle, and Leviathan rejoiced as Benny’s eyes followed the movement.

‘Er, well, it’s uh… That’s all in the past,’ Benny said, proud that he had managed to keep the nervousness out of his voice. ‘We’re just good friends now.’

‘Is that all… I see…’

Benny looked away uncomfortably and stood, losing the comfort he felt before. He really didn’t want to be the cause of a Maddy’s breakdown. ‘Well, it was nice to catch up, Dean,’ he said, keeping his voice as formal as possible. ‘It’s gettin’ late, and I know you were plannin’ on headin’ out early. I, myself, have a book I’ve been meanin’ to finish.’

‘Yeah, uh… I’ll try to catch you before we leave,’ Dean replied. ‘G’nite.’

They watched as Benny left and disappeared upstairs.

‘Sorry for cutting your conversation short,’ Castiel said quietly.

Dean shrugged as he looked back at the table. ‘It’s okay,’ he replied. ‘It’s getting late anyway, and we can always catch up in the morning before he’s totally out of it.’

‘So…you like him?’ Castiel asked. Leviathan was shouting in his head, demanding to know what their chances were of succeeding in claiming both men.

‘Well, yeah. I mean, Benny’s a great guy.’ Dean sighed as Castiel stared at him with an unreadable expression. ‘Look, there _was_ something between us, but that was years ago. It was for a very short time, and uh…it’s over now,’ he explained, hoping that Castiel believed him.

It hadn’t _looked_ like everything was over and forgotten between Benny and Dean. Castiel looked down at the table and nodded as he rubbed at his eyes. It was hard to concentrate with Leviathan constantly babbling in the background of his mind. He looked up as Dean gently touched his shoulder.

‘Hey, it _is_ getting late, and you look pretty tired,’ Dean said.

Castiel shook his head, but stood anyway. ‘I’m fine. I don’t require that much sleep. It’s just…um… _thoughts_ ,’ he said, wincing at the indignant scream that rang through his head.

Dean grimaced and placed his hand on the small of Castiel’s back, gently guiding him up the stairs. ‘Well, let’s see if Sam and Gabe aren’t at each other’s throats.’

‘I think they’re more interested in _other_ parts of their anatomy,’ Castiel said distractedly.

‘They better not be, ‘cuz we’re sharing the room,’ Dean said gruffly.

Castiel paused at the top of the stairs, and Leviathan went silent. ‘But the beds are so small.’

Dean smirked as he wrapped his arm around Castiel’s shoulders. The beds weren’t _that_ small. They were pretty standard, and compared to sharing one with Sam in a pinch, sharing one with Castiel would be easy and spacious. Not to mention a lot friendlier. ‘Just think of it as a good excuse to cuddle,’ he said and kissed the side of Castiel’s head.

Castiel nodded as they continued to the room. ‘Very well. But I must warn you to not be too…familiar with me as I sleep,’ he said.

‘Why?’

‘I’m prone to kicking. You can blame Gabriel for that,’ he explained.

‘Do I even wanna know?’ Dean opened the door to their room and was surprised to find Gabriel and Sam sitting on one of the beds in silence as Gabriel worked on a small mechanism.

Gabriel was hunched over what looked like a small, brass wagon wheel, screwing in an eyelid onto one of the many eyes that lined the tread of the wheel.

‘That’s not gonna come to life and kill me in my sleep, is it? Should you even be working on that in here?’ Dean asked.

‘Toymaker,’ Gabriel mumbled in response, completely lost in his work.

Sam looked up and smiled. ‘It detects moisture,’ he explained. ‘No killing involved.’

‘How’d _you_ know that?’ Gabriel asked, looking up from his work.

‘Er… Well, uh… You called it a “Dowsing Angel”…so I just assumed,’ Sam replied, not mentioning that he didn’t need the name to know what the center mechanism was used for, nor that he knew that the whole thing was designed to give off a blast of fire from all of its eyes when it located a water source.

‘Oh, yeah!’ Gabriel smiled and went back to work, turning the wheel and starting on the next eye.

‘That’s supposed to be an _angel_?’ Dean said doubtfully.

Gabriel paused and sat up straight as he stared down at the wheel balanced on his lap. ‘Well…yeah.’ Was there something wrong with it? Was it missing something? ‘What’s wrong with it?’ he asked.

Dean shared a glance with Sam, who shrugged and gave a lopsided smile in response. ‘Nothin’,’ he eventually replied. ‘As long as it keeps you busy.’

Gabriel bent back over, but he didn’t work as enthusiastically as before—far too self-conscious over the appearance of his little angel. His eyes flicked up as Sam nudged him and gave him an encouraging smile. That was all he needed to throw himself back into own little world of gears and sprockets. Who cared what Dean thought? _Sam_ liked it, and that was all that mattered.

Dean watched for a bit longer then lost interest. As enthralled as Sam was with watching Gabriel, Dean just didn’t get it. It was so tedious and boring. He turned to find Castiel already lounging on the other bed, reading a book. He may as well catch some sleep while he could. He sat on the bed and began pulling off his boots. When the bed shifted beneath him, he looked over his shoulder curiously at Castiel.

‘I want to cross-reference something, and the book for that is still in my trunk,’ Castiel said. With Dean’s nod, he left the room and headed down to the main level. He was relieved when the bartender didn’t question his interest in knowing which room was Benny’s. And it was with a smug grin that he swiped a knife from the counter without being noticed.

A few minutes later, Castiel was standing before the door to Benny’s room. He licked his lips and swallowed as he made sure that the knife was snugly tucked into the back of his trousers. He took a deep breath and knocked lightly on the door. He didn’t have to wait long before the door opened, revealing Benny’s surprised face.

‘Oh, uh… Dean’s… _friend_ ,’ Benny said uncertainly. Apparently, he hadn’t played down his relationship with Dean enough. He hoped Dean would forgive him if it came down to restraining the Maddy.

‘Yes, _I’m_ Castiel. I wanted to thank you for earlier.’

‘It’s no problem. So long as you don’t start anything,’ Benny said carefully, tightening his grip on the door handle.

‘Oh, I would never do that,’ Castiel said as he pushed past Benny and entered the room. It was Leviathan that took in every sad detail of the room. They would be doing the vampire a service, really. No one should be locked up in such a boring place—especially one as attractive as Benny. He heard the door shut and smiled widely, his back still turned.

‘As I was saying… I wanted to… _thank_ you,’ Leviathan said as he reached back and pulled the knife free.

Benny narrowed his eyes and shifted his weight, ready to defend himself. He breathed in sharply as the scent of blood filled the air. He stepped back as Castiel turned around, looking every bit the typical crazed Mad Scientist. Although, the black veins were new.

Leviathan continued to drag the knife along his left palm, slicing into his flesh. ‘You got a taste of the sugar… How would you like some… _spice_?’ he asked as he stepped closer, backing Benny against the wall.

‘Now see here, I…I won’t do that to Dean,’ Benny said as he tried to focus on the black veins instead of the enticing, red droplets cascading down the Maddy’s arm. ‘He’s sweet on ya’.’

‘He’s sweet on _you_ , too,’ Leviathan pointed out.

‘That’s over with. We had our run, and it’s _done_ ,’ Benny argued, swallowing.

Leviathan stopped inches away from Benny and eyed him before slowly licking the blood dripping from his hand. With a thought, he ran his palm across his lips and down his chin. ‘Just…a little… _taste_ ,’ he whispered. He gasped as Benny grabbed him by the shoulders and turned them, pushing him up against the wall. He moaned as he felt Benny’s harsh breaths against his neck.

‘No.’ Benny growled as he took Castiel by the collar and pushed him out into the hall.

Leviathan shrank back in embarrassment, and Castiel flinched as the door slammed shut behind him. That should have worked. Benny should have been putty in his hands, eager to follow him back to Dean and get another taste. He sighed and headed back to his shared room. No one looked up as he entered the room and collapsed face-first onto the bed next to Dean.

Dean jolted awaked, and the knuckles on his prosthetic flipped to the spikes. He sighed as he flexed his fingers, causing the spikes to slowly flip back. He should really practice at controlling all the little surprises his new arm carried. He looked down at Castiel and frowned. ‘The hell’s wrong with _you_?’

Castiel rolled onto his back and waved his cut hand in the air. ‘Just a miscalculation,’ he replied miserably.

Dean sucked in a breath and took Castiel’s hand in his. ‘Jesus, Cas! What the hell happened?! Oh, God! Your face!’

‘I tried to seduce your vampire into our bed,’ Castiel said as he sat up, wiping the drying blood from his lips and chin with his free hand.

Dean froze and stared at Castiel warily. ‘Uh… W-we’re not… We’re just friends,’ he insisted.

Castiel sighed and took his hand back from Dean as he stood up and headed toward the washbasin. ‘I wanted to feel his teeth on my throat,’ he admitted as he poured water from the pitcher into the bowl. ‘See my blood on his lips… I…I want to watch him drink from you. Is that…wrong? Too…odd?’ he asked as he turned to face Dean. He was really trying not to scare Dean off with his eccentricities.

‘Uh… I think you might have an addiction there, pal,’ Dean said as he joined Castiel next to the washbasin. He picked up a cloth and soaked it in the water.

‘I know,’ Castiel said quietly. ‘But it feels so good, and I like to watch.’ He chewed his lip as Dean gingerly dabbed at the cut on his hand and wiped the blood from his arm.

‘Not arguin’ there,’ Dean said. He quickly glanced over at Sam and caught the raised brow directed at him. He turned his attention back to the task at hand. He pushed Castiel’s sleeve up, following a long trail of blood and saw one of the telltale veins darkening.

‘I _really_ like to watch,’ Leviathan stressed. ‘I want to watch him thrust into you as you _beg_ for his bite.’

‘O-oh, yeah?’ Dean’s voice broke as he blushed brightly at the image. He swallowed, as thoughts of fucking Castiel raw while Benny sucked at the Maddy’s neck flooded his mind.

Leviathan lifted his free hand and lightly traced his way along Dean’s jaw. ‘But _before_ he gives you his kiss, he wants you to enter _me_ ,’ he said, outlining his fantasy and drawing an almost imperceptible groan from Dean. ‘So that when he buries himself in _you_ , your cock is pushed _deep_ inside me.’

Dean closed his eyes, and he could feel the phantom pains of pointed teeth extending over his own. ‘Oh, God…yes,’ he whispered harshly.

‘And when he finally _does_ bite into your shoulder, you pull me tight to your chest and pierce my skin with your teeth,’ Leviathan said, emphasizing with a click of his teeth.

‘I’m not hearing this!’ Gabriel said loudly, refusing to look up from his brass wheel. He started humming loudly, trying to drown out Leviathan’s fantasy.

‘Then he steals my blood from your lips, claiming us both as his,’ Leviathan said, finishing with a grin.

‘Fuck, that’s hot…’ Dean leaned in to kiss Leviathan, but Leviathan stayed out of his reach, grinning excitedly.

‘Would you like to try _your_ hand at bringing him here? As you can see, I’ve already tried mine, and it didn’t quite work,’ Leviathan said raising his bloody hand.

‘I don’t think that’s what that phrase means,’ Dean said as he took Leviathan’s hand in his own. He sighed at Leviathan’s disappointed pout. ‘Look, I’ll talk to Benny tomorrow. Just don’t get your hopes up.’

Leviathan narrowed his eyes as Dean went back to cleaning up the blood. ‘Do you _really_ think there’s a chance he’d turn you down?’ he asked incredulously. He huffed as Dean shrugged and led him back to the bed. He let Castiel slip back in control as he retreated to pout.

‘Hey, do you have anything to stitch you up with in your bag?’ Dean asked as he pressed the blood-soaked towel into Castiel’s hand. He retrieved Castiel’s bag from the foot of the bed and dumped the contents onto the quilted bedding. He found the syringes from earlier and frowned when he noticed that one had some sort of black liquid clinging to the glass. He looked up at Castiel as the Maddy reached into the pile and pulled out a small spool of black thread with a curved needle laced through its side.

‘Of course I do,’ Castiel said matter-of-factly. ‘This wouldn’t be the first time I’ve gotten overexcited when encountering a vampire. I always cut along the same line, and you can hardly notice the scar.’

‘Oh, good,’ Dean said sarcastically. He looked over to Sam and gave him a helpless stare. What had he gotten himself into? _Why_ had he let himself be dragged into it? Why was he fairly okay with his situation? He had gone from dying to losing an arm to gaining a crazy Mad Scientist lover in less than a week. On the positive side, he was alive, he had a new arm, and he hadn’t woken up as a monster. Yet.

He looked back at Castiel when he felt a light tap on his arm. Castiel has staring at him shyly and holding up the spool with his right hand. ‘Oh, right. Here, I’ll help you out with that.’

Castiel quickly shook his head and kept the thread out of Dean’s reach. ‘N-no, I mean… I can do this myself. I just…wanted to know if you’d be interested in watching?’ He quickly looked away as Dean’s eyes widened. ‘That is… Never mind.’

Dean placed his hand on Castiel’s thigh and smiled. ‘Sure. Never seen someone stitch themselves up with one hand before. Could be interesting,’ he said.

Castiel smiled as he looked back up. It may not be dissection, but at least Dean wasn’t squirming away in disgust.

.-.-.-.-.

Sam awoke to the comforting pressure of another pressed along his side. A head rested on his chest, and there was a warm hand lightly resting on his cock. He opened his eyes and glanced down. Sure enough, his trousers were undone, and Gabriel’s hand was covering him. That certainly explained the dream he had. He reached down and pulled Gabriel’s hand way, wincing as the dried cum pulled on his pubic hair.

‘Good mornin’,’ Gabriel said sleepily. He clenched and unclenched his hand, grimacing at the feel. ‘Sorry,’ he mumbled, trying to bury his face in Sam’s side.

‘No, it’s fine,’ Sam said as he sat up. ‘You warned me. I knew what I was gettin’ into. Pity I was asleep,’ he said with a sly grin. 'Was kinda hoping to wake up in the middle and properly enjoy it. I was actually looking forward to it.'

‘Pity _you_ were asleep? What about _me_?!’ Gabriel whined. He grumbled as he sat up and stared forlornly at Sam’s back. He huffed in disappointment as Sam pulled a shirt on. ‘It’s also a pity you’re putting clothes on. It should be a crime to cover that back of yours.’

Sam shook his head as he laughed quietly. He moved Gabriel’s Dowsing Angel from a chair and set to work pulling is boots on.

Gabriel scratched at his hair before pushing it back and out of his eyes. He looked over to the other bed and rolled his eyes. Castiel was already fully dressed and perched on the edge of the bed, staring intensely at Dean while he slept peacefully. ‘Stop bein’ creepy, Cas!’ he shouted, making Castiel jerk back in surprise.

Dean jolted awake and looked wildly around the room. ‘What?! What’s wrong!?’ He caught Gabriel’s amused smirk and glared. There was movement behind him, and he looked at Castiel, confusion clouding his features when he noticed Castiel’s bright blush. ‘Cas?’

Castiel avoided Dean’s gaze and tried to busy himself with adjusting the bandage on his palm. ‘I-I was watching you sleep… It calms me,’ he said quietly. ‘No one was awake yet, and…’ He trailed off as Dean took his hand and stopped him from fidgeting. He sighed and looked up.

‘Just so long as you don’t get it in your head to cut anyone up,’ Dean said. He held his breath as black veins stretched up Castiel’s neck. ‘Before you ask, that applies to _both_ of you.’

Leviathan smiled and shrugged. ‘Well, it _is_ always on my mind, but I promise I won’t act on it. On _you_ at least.’ His smile slipped as Dean’s gaze hardened and the grip on his hand tightened. ‘Or your brother,’ he quickly added. He licked his lips and decided to push his luck. ‘Your vampire would also be exempt from my mm…hobbies.’

Dean sighed as he recalled the night before. ‘Yeah. Benny.’ He hoped that Castiel hadn’t already scared Benny off. He thought he was doing pretty well handling Castiel and Leviathan, but he had to wonder. It seemed like the prospect of staying with Dean was the only thing keeping them in line, and he had to wonder what had spurred their fascination with him. Or how long it would last.

‘You’re going to make him come with us, right?’

‘Only if he wants to,’ Dean said. He looked over to Sam who was watching with a small smile on his lips. ‘That okay with everyone else?’

‘It’s fine, but… At the rate you’re going, you’re gonna have yourself quite the harem,’ Sam teased. He grinned at the dirty look he got.

.-.-.-.-.

Dressed and packed, the small group reached the main floor. Sam and Dean were immediately put on edge by the commotion coming from outside. Gabriel elbowed Castiel in the side and glared at his brother. They hung back as Sam and Dean quickly move to join the small crowd of patrons and hotel workers watching through the windows.

Castiel grimaced and nodded to the window. ‘We don’t want to stand out,’ he whispered. ‘We’d better gawk with the rest of them.’

Gabriel nodded and gave Castiel a hard shove. He tried to find a good spot, but there was no room. He sighed in frustration. He actually wanted to see what the horse was doing to gain so much attention. Castiel touched his shoulder and pointed to the main door. He pursed his lips in thought, then finally gave in to his curiosity and led the way outside. The sight that greeted them had Gabriel wishing he had never taken apart his camera.

In the middle of the dirt street, the horse that Leviathan had injected was jumping and bucking wildly as multiple men circled her. On her back and clinging on for dear life was the town’s sheriff. Finally, she managed to dislodge him. She jumped over him and head-butted one of the men surrounding her before trotting past with her head held high.

She looked around at the gathering of humans and saw Castiel. She pranced and hopped proudly about, showing off that she was free. One of the men behind her barked out a command to lasso her, and she bolted, quickly outrunning the few men that tried to chase after her.

‘That horse always was too smart for her own good,’ a women standing next to Castiel commented.

‘Hard to break, if I remember right,’ the man beside her added. ‘Always escapin’, too.’

‘And now, she’s wild and free,’ Castiel said, staring in the direction the horse had run.

The woman nodded. ‘At least, until they catch her again. This time, he’ll probably put a bullet in the poor thing’s head.’

Castiel looked at the woman, horrified. ‘What?’

‘Well, I remember hearin’ the sheriff say how he was gonna put her down if she ever threw him,’ she replied. ‘Not sure if he really _would_ do that to such a fine beast, but… A lot of people just saw him get thrown in the mud, and he don’t take kindly to bein’ made a fool of.’

‘She’s never acted like _that_ before,’ the man said as he watched the sheriff yell at his men. ‘Wonder what got into her… Was as if she was _waitin’_ for an audience.’

Castiel’s face went blank, and he was aware of Gabriel dragging him back into the hotel. Inside, everyone was moving away from the windows and going back to their normal routine. As they spoke amongst each other, Castiel was hyper-aware of how everyone seemed to notice that there was something off about the horse. He felt numb as he realized that he had screwed up. He needed to explain the situation to Dean before Dean found out.

.-.-.-.-.

Benny was torn when he opened his door and found Dean standing there with a sheepish grin. ‘Mornin’, Dean.’

‘Yeah, mornin’… So uh, Benny…’

Benny swallowed, wondering what Dean was going to say. He briefly wondered if Castiel had told Dean that he had attacked the Maddy. It would seem like the Maddy thing to do.

‘You still wanna run off?’ Dean asked.

‘What?’ Benny stared at Dean in confusion. He hadn’t been expecting _that_. As hopeful as he was, he was still realistic. ‘What are ya’ askin’?’

Dean took a deep breath and slowly released it. ‘You wanna come with us?’

Benny leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms. His encounter with Castiel was still fresh in his mind, and his teeth still itched at being denied the Maddy’s sweet smelling blood. ‘Don’t think that’d be a good idea, brother,’ he eventually said.

‘Yeah… I don’t know if it’s a good one, either, but uh… Cas can be _very_ convincing,’ Dean said, laughing nervously.

‘Do you know what he tried last night?’ Benny asked. ‘Do you know about…’ He gestured to his neck, spreading his fingers as he moved his hand up to his cheek.

‘So you met Leviathan… Wow. Resisting _that_ musta been hard.’

‘Very.’

‘He’s still moping,’ Dean said with a smile. ‘He’s hoping I can convince you to come with us.’

Benny tilted his head slightly. ‘Wait… You’re inviting me to…’

Dean sighed as he shifted his weight. ‘There’s still something here. Between us,’ he said, motioning between himself and Benny. ‘And…well, he’s into it. _Very_ into it, so…’ He shrugged and dropped his hands to his side. ‘We’re leaving in about an hour if you wanna join us.’

‘Oh.’ Benny stared at Dean in bewilderment. Was he dreaming? He was being invited back into Dean’s bed. And not only that, but a bed that included the most delicious Maddy he had ever tasted. A Maddy that would willingly and enthusiastically offer himself up to a vampire. ‘S-sure?’

Dean breathed a sigh of relief and grinned. He heard footsteps heading up the hallway and turned to see who was coming. He let out a short laugh when he saw that it was Castiel, nervously wringing his hands. ‘You have perfect timing.’

‘Thank you, I suppose,’ Castiel said, looking down. ‘I have come to the conclusion that it would be more beneficial to leave as soon as possible.’

‘Hour not soon enough?’ Dean asked as he narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

‘Well… I just believe it would be wise to leave early. Since tensions are so high right now,’ Castiel replied.

‘What’s going on?’ Dean asked, pinching the bridge of his nose. He hoped Castiel was just overreacting.

‘I may have joined the ranks of um…horse liberators,’ Castiel said quietly.

‘You _stole_ —’

‘Liberated! There _is_ a difference!’ Castiel insisted. ‘She escaped on her own!’

‘The sheriff’s horse,’ Dean moaned in realization.

‘Yes.’

‘Wait. That horse ran off,’ Dean said. ‘Everyone saw it. You had nothing to do with that.’

‘I gave her the cognitive abilities to escape and evade recapture,’ Castiel quickly said. He glanced up to see Dean and Benny staring at him in shock. He looked back down and tugged on his bandage.

‘What? _When_?!’ Dean asked in confusion.

‘Last night.’

‘You were _here_ all night!’ Dean argued.

‘Um, well… Remember when I left for the wagon?’ Castiel said carefully.

‘That’s not enough time to fuck with a horse’s brain,’ Dean said. Castiel hadn’t been gone for _that_ long. Certainly not long enough to cut open a horse and do whatever it was that made animals more intelligent.

‘It is if you only have to inject them,’ Castiel said quietly. He could hear his own breathing in the silence that fell. He glanced up, and froze at the dark and angry look he was receiving. He cast his eyes back down and stared at Dean’s clenched fist—spikes bared and ready to inflict damage. Both he and Leviathan agreed that they had better make themselves scarce.

‘I’m sorry,’ he said whispered. ‘I-I should go.’

‘Yeah. You do that,’ Dean said through clenched teeth. He got his temper under control as he watched Castiel hurry away. He looked to Benny with a heavy sigh. ‘Fuck. I don’t know what to do with him!’

‘Considerin’ he was in earshot when the sheriff referred to his sort as Noncos… Be glad that’s _all_ he did,’ Benny pointed out. ‘Pretty sure no one has a clue. They’d be banging down my door the instant they thought a Maddy slipped through my watch. Besides, that horse is known for bein’ wild and disobedient. Sheriff’s none too kind to her neither.’

Dean nodded, still not pleased with the turn of events. ‘Then I guess we’re leaving sooner than expected.’

.-.-.-.-.

Castiel opened his trunk and fished out a few vital supplies. He set them on the floor and reevaluated his choices. Nothing in his pile would actually help with his survival. He set his doctor’s bag to the side. That, at least was something he constantly restocked and kept maintained, so he didn’t need to worry over it. He sighed and dumped everything else back into his trunk. ‘What do normal people travel with?’ he wondered. Gabriel was the one that kept things organized and made sure they were prepared.

_Money!_ Leviathan supplied. _Money’s good for bribing._

Castiel pulled out a leather billfold and opened it. ‘Would three hundred be enough, or should I borrow some from Gabriel?’ Leviathan remained silent, unable to come up with an answer. ‘It’ll have to be enough. We can make more if needed.’

_What about food? And water? Don’t know about **you** , but **I** would prefer **not** to starve._

‘A water purifier then. And a gun.’

_We don’t own a gun_ , Leviathan reminded.

Castiel looked up at the selection of rifles and guns strapped to one of the wagon’s walls. ‘But Dean does. And he owes us.’

_We should set up an ambush and take back our arm. With **interest**. Take a leg or two and make him **beg** us to give it back_ , Leviathan growled.

Castiel sighed as he stood and took a rifle from the wall. ‘He has every right to be angry,’ Castiel said quietly. He fished around an ammo box on the floor until he found a small carton of bullets for the rifle. He set the gun and bullets in front of his trunk with the water purifier and billfold. ‘I suppose that’s all we _really_ need.’

_I want clothes. We have a nice duster. Let’s take that._

Castiel nodded and pulled out a couple changes of clothing and the tan duster jacket from the bottom of his trunk. He also pulled out a messenger bag and began shoving everything into it. Once he was all packed, he pulled the jacket on and picked up the messenger bag. He slung the strap over his head and adjusted how the bag hung against his side. With a sigh, he stooped down and collected his doctor’s bag, checking once more that it was fully stocked. Satisfied, he left the wagon and quickly made his way down the back alley behind the hotel.

In a few minutes, he was standing on the side of the main road on the western edge of the small town. He looked back up the road, wondering if he was making the right decision. He probably should have left a note. He shook his head as he continued on his way.


	7. Chapter 7

In the middle of a wide wagon trail, a mare circled herself, watching the ground carefully. She snorted and shook her head, looking back up the path from where she had come from. She had been leaving an obvious trail. No wonder she always got caught. It didn’t matter how fast or far she ran if the humans could easily see where she had been.

She wandered off the trail and performed the same circling motion on the grass. The grass bent under her weight, leaving evidence of her presence. What was she going to do? Could she cross over her own path several times to confuse the humans? Would that work? What if they brought dogs? Crossing through water would help to muddy her scent, but what good was that if they could see her hoof prints on the other side?

She trotted away from the trail and down a small hill to a wide creek. Her hooves sank into the muddy bank, and she glared at the marks she left. Nature was out to get her. She continued across the creek and hopped up the other bank and onto a rock. She looked back down at the creek and cocked her head. The water had erased her hoof prints.

She looked down and watched in wonder as the new prints she had made on the rock faded. She experimented a little by walking around the surrounding area. The dirt gave her away and the rocks kept her secret. But the rocks still kept her scent.

She wandered away from the creek, purposefully making her trail obvious. She hopped onto a rock and turned back to the creek, careful to keep on the rocks. She had a couple close calls before she reached the rock closest to the water. She jumped into the middle of the creek and pranced around in celebration, kicking water up around her.

She happily trotted along the center of the creek with her head held high as she headed back towards the town. If the dogs followed her scent back to the water, then the humans would follow it away from the town. They would never suspect her to return of her own volition.

Lingering on the thought of the dogs, she paused and dropped into water and rolled around for a bit, kicking up mud around herself. When she stood, she was covered in splotches of mud. She sniffed at herself and snorted. It wasn’t pleasant, but at least she wouldn’t be easy to recognize.

Her ears perked up at the sound of yelling in the distance. She hurried forward to a patch of overgrowth that hung over the water and knelt beneath it. The water came up to her shoulders and she lowered her head as she waited.

.-.-.-.-.

Gabriel pulled open the backdoor of the wagon and stared at the pair of trunks that sat in the middle. Castiel’s had been left wide open. He frowned and leaned away from the wagon, looking around. He remembered seeing Castiel heading toward the wagon, muttering about packing, but he hadn’t seen his brother since. That had been about fifteen minutes ago.

Cautiously, he climbed into the wagon and peeked into Castiel’s trunk. His shoulders sagged as his fears were confirmed. ‘Not again. God dammit…’

‘Something wrong?’ Sam asked, looking up at Gabriel.

Gabriel looked up as Dean appeared behind Sam, looking annoyed.

‘ _Now_ what?’ Dean asked.

‘What did you say to Cas?’ Gabriel asked accusingly.

‘What? Nothing!’

‘Then why the hell did he run away?’ Gabriel stomped to the edge of the wagon, doing his best to block the doorway and look intimidating.

‘Hey, _he’s_ the one that…’ Dean broke off and looked around. ‘I think the town being on edge because of that _horse_ is a little contagious,’ he said eventually.

Gabriel breathed in sharply and thinned his lips. ‘Yeah… About that… Uh… Wait… Did you tell him to go away or something?’

‘Course not!’

‘He did say that he should…“go,” and you said it would be a good idea,’ Benny said as he walked by. He glanced up at Gabriel and nodded in acknowledgment. ‘I didn’t think anything of it at the time. It’s more of a…well, _darker_ trait to take things to the extreme.’

Gabriel rubbed his neck and looked away. ‘Yeah… He uh… He has some extra input when it comes to decisions.’

‘Yes. I got to see that input last night,’ Benny replied with some amusement.

‘Yeah… Thanks for just kicking him out and not…making things worse,’ Gabriel said as he sat down, letting his legs hang off the edge. He pushed at the open door and sighed heavily. ‘Well, he’s on foot, so we can catch up to him pretty quickly.’

‘I take it he’s done this before,’ Dean said.

Gabriel nodded. ‘I learned the hard way to be careful of what I say during an argument. He’ll take it the wrong way. Me, too, actually.’ He looked up at Sam and shrugged. ‘Not as bad as him, though. I’m one of the lucky ones.’

‘Balance _is_ a rare trait,’ Benny commented. ‘And you’re perfectly half and half.’

‘Well, that’s great,’ Sam said in a stressed tone. He watched as a stable boy walked by with Baby and Charger—Dean was quick to follow on the young boy’s heels. ‘We can talk more about it once we’re on our way.’

Gabriel nodded and pulled his legs into the cabin and scooted back as Sam tossed his bag inside. He grimaced as Benny climbed inside and took a seat on a small bench mounted to the wall. The door closed, and he spoke up. ‘So… You, Dean, and Cas…and Chompy.’

‘Chompy?’

‘Leviathan. Looks just like Cas, but has this crazy look in his eyes and uh… black veins,’ Gabriel explained.

‘Right. Him.’ Benny leaned back against the wall and stared up at the ceiling. ‘It should prove to be interesting. He certainly knows what buttons to push.’

The small door to the front of the wagon slid open, and Sam looked inside. ‘We’re in luck,’ he said with a reassuring smile. ‘Someone saw him leave, so we should be able to catch him within the hour.’

Gabriel nodded and sighed. He pulled his bag closer and pulled out his dowsing angel and a small screw driver.

Benny eyed the machine with suspicion. ‘If I fall asleep, and you cut into me…’

‘Save _that_ threat for Cas. You’re safe around me. I do machines and hallucinogens,’ Gabriel replied. ‘ _Cas_ is the anatomy junkie. He’ll happily pull you apart and put you back together.’

‘ _That_ certainly gives me second thoughts.’

Gabriel stopped tinkering and looked up at Benny. ‘He won’t do it unless it’s absolutely necessary. I mean, look at Dean and his arm. Cas coulda easily taken more. And probably gotten away with a lung, too. Blame it on the venom. Hospital Maddies do it all the time ‘cuz regular doctors don’t understand the nature of the venom.’

‘So I’m lucky Sam took me to a freelancer instead of a hospital,’ Dean said from the window.

Gabriel shrugged. ‘Well, add in the fact that you were calling him an angel… And I’m sure whatever you said or did when you woke up in the middle of the procedure helped, too.’

‘From your tone, I’m guessing he took a little more than he needed to,’ Dean said, narrowing his eyes.

Gabriel ducked his head and looked away. ‘Um… _Technically_ … B-but the prosthetic… It’s easier to attach it to that kind of amputation. It…it’s more convenient.’ He glanced up and forced a smile as he watched Dean drum his fingers along the window sill. From his position on the floor, he could just barely make out the spikes on Dean’s knuckles. ‘He was making it easier for a future prosthetic to be installed. He actually _likes_ you.’

Dean breathed evenly and let his knuckles slowly retract. ‘Fine. I’ll let it slide for now,’ he said. He glanced at Benny before turning back around and urging the horses forward.

Gabriel chuckled quietly as he relaxed. ‘That guy needs to learn to relax.’

‘Given his family’s past experience with Maddies, I think you’re fairing pretty well,’ Benny pointed out.

‘ _My_ family, too,’ Gabriel argued. ‘Just ‘cuz I’m one of ‘em, doesn’t make me exempt. Why is it so hard for people to get that through their heads?’

‘So what happened to _your_ family?’ Benny asked as he attempted to get comfortable. Daytime travel was not one of his favorite things.

Gabriel dragged his nail over an exposed flint wheel and slowly shook his head. ‘Well, let’s start with my mom,’ he quietly replied. ‘Azazel made a new strain of pneumonia, and…she didn’t make it.’

‘The one where only Maddies were immune?’ Benny furrowed his brows as Gabriel stiffened. ‘There’s more to it than him just wiping out non-Maddies… Isn’t there?’

‘Probably…,’ Gabriel carefully replied. He avoided looking up and quickly glanced to the open window. He saw Sam looking in, staring curiously. ‘Me ‘n’ Cas survived… And a few others in town. They had the Madness, too—to varying degrees. And…’

‘And?’

‘Azazel snatched Cas up during the chaos… Everyone was droppin’ like flies, and…there were fewer and fewer people,’ Gabriel explained. ‘It had gotten to the point where the townsfolk were so desperate to find a cure, they were begging Maddies for help. Just…laid out all the dead and let us go to town on ‘em. Anything to find out what was happening.’

Gabriel sighed and leaned back against his trunk. ‘Mom got sick about a week in…before they realized just how bad it was. I volunteered to help, and… Let’s just say I’m not that into cutting things open anymore,’ he said, closing his eyes. ‘And Cas was… Well, y’know how _I’m_ balanced… Cas wasn’t. Not by a long shot. Him and this other kid, Uriel, had taken to poking through the bodies and remnants in one of the makeshift morgues.’

‘They let kids play in a morgue?’ Benny asked, disgusted.

Gabriel shrugged indifferently. ‘By then, everyone knew who was a Maddy. They also found out the kids calmed down a bit after playing around with the body parts. Kids that were Darker were able to sorta get it outta their system—or at least focus for once. It worked. Cas and Uriel had actually managed to come up with a way to give the infected an extra week.’

‘Did you find a cure?’ Sam asked.

‘Not really.’ Gabriel stared at the floor in front of him and shook his head. ‘Apparently, Uriel had come up with something, but before he could say anything, Azazel had raided the morgues, grabbing every Maddy that he could. Cas was one of ‘em. The town was dead within a week.’

‘Did anyone besides you and Cas survive?’ Sam asked. He wished that Castiel hadn’t run off. Now, more than ever, he wanted to know what Azazel had done to him—if it was similar to what had been done himself.

Gabriel solemnly shook his head. ‘None of the Maddies that Azazel got. Just Cas. Barely.’ He sighed and looked up at Sam. ‘Those of us that were helping out with the living…we got out fine. I won’t give you names,’ he said stubbornly. ‘We were all either balanced or heavier on the Madness, so you don’t have to worry about any loose crazies. Azazel took care of that problem,’ he added bitterly.

Sam looked away and nodded. ‘We’ll find him,’ he promised. ‘And he’ll pay for what he did.’ He looked back at Gabriel and felt a shiver run up his spine at the dark look in the Maddy’s eyes.

‘If you’re turning him in, then Cas gets to have a go at him first,’ Gabriel said. ‘He’ll leave him alive and intact, so you’ll get your bounty. And if you’re planning on killing him, then…we get to play.’

Sam swallowed and nodded and flicked his eyes to Dean.

Dean looked back and nodded. ‘Bounty’s for dead or alive. Ain’t _my_ fault if he has an accident along the way.’

.-.-.-.-.

Castiel had been walking for over half an hour when he heard the sound of approaching horses. He sighed in resignation and stepped off to the side of the road. Ten minutes out of town, he realized how stupid he was being. The others would easily catch up. They would catch up, and Dean would be even angrier at him.

He frowned when he realized that the horses were coming from the direction he was headed. He looked up the path and watched as the sheriff and his men rode by. He stared up as the sheriff slowed and looked down at him in suspicion.

‘Where you headed?’

Leviathan’s panic almost bled into Castiel’s response. ‘West,’ Castiel calmly replied. He kept his face straight as Leviathan kept chanting ‘He knows! He knows! He knows!’

‘Without yer friends?’ the sheriff asked, leaning forward.

Castiel nodded and looked back toward the town. ‘Your town will be short one vampire when you get back. I thought it best that I leave the situation,’ he explained. His response was honest, but missing key facts. He looked back up as the sheriff chuckled.

‘Yeah. I wouldn’t want to travel with a bloodsucker either. Useful things, but you just can’t trust ‘em. Better’n havin’ the town infested with damned Noncos, at least.’

Castiel’s eye twitched as he forcefully kept Leviathan back. ‘Did you find your horse?’ he politely asked.

The sheriff shook his head as he sneered. ‘Damned beast gave us the slip. Maybe someone else grabbed her up. Good riddance. She’s someone else’s problem now.’

‘I see. Well, I should get going,’ Castiel said with a dismissive nod. He listened as the men rode off, kicking dust up around them. He hurried along, trying to further the distance between himself and the small group. When he could no longer hear them, he let go of his hold, and Leviathan came to the forefront with an angered scream.

‘We should go back and flay them alive!’ he hissed. ‘Cut away their eyelids and force them to watch as we skin them from toe to neck! And then…then we’ll feed them their own skin!’

There was a soft touch against the nape of his neck, and Leviathan spun around, eyes wide. Hot breath ghosted across his cheeks as he stared at the large nose in front of his face. It came closer, and he took a step back, trying to switch places with Castiel.

Mid-step, Castiel took control and fell back. He held out his doctor’s bag defensively as he stared up at the horse looming over him. It took him a moment to realize that it was the sheriff’s horse. ‘N-nice horse,’ he said weakly. He flinched as she sniffed and nibbled at his hair.

Castiel looked up as the horse stepped back, looking down at him curiously. ‘Okay… Let’s see about communicating. One stamp for yes, two for no.’ He licked his lips and kept a close eye on the hooves not too far from him. ‘Are you going to kill me?’

A hoof went up and back down. Castiel’s heart rate kicked up as the horse made no further movement. Then the hoof came up and down again. Then again. He looked up as the horse snorted in frustration. He gasped as she quickly turned in a circle, came up to him, and knocked him over with the side of her head. He curled into a fetal position, covering his head.

The horse glared at the human at her feet. For such an intelligent species, humans were frightful and stupid. How many was one? How many was two? If he showed her the concept, then she could associate it with the word. She walked around him, annoyed at the stench of fear rolling off of Castiel. With each fall of her hoof, Castiel would cringe. She bent her neck down and grabbed the collar of Castiel’s coat with her teeth and pulled him up.

Castiel shook as he was brought to his feet. How was he going to get out of this one? He couldn’t outrun a horse. Maybe he could climb a tree. A quick look around showed that there were no trees tall enough or strong enough to keep him out of the horse’s reach. He stumbled as he was released and pushed forward. He watched warily as the horse circled him and stopped in front of him. She stamped her hoof several times then nudged him with her nose.

Castiel slowly shook his head as he pulled his coat tightly around him. ‘I don’t understand,’ he said helplessly. He watched as she repeated the action. ‘ _Stupid thing probably can’t even count_ ,’ echoed Leviathan’s voice. Castiel’s eyes widened in realization.

‘Of course! Um… One,’ he said and held up one finger. ‘Two.’ He held up a second. Horse and human stared at each other before Casitel gave in with a sigh. He stamped his foot on the ground several times, counting up to five. ‘Okay…so… Do you understand? One for yes, two for no…’

The horse stamped her hoof one time and proudly raised her head.

‘ _Wonderful, you taught a horse to count_ ,’ Leviathan said as Castiel slowly raised his hand to pet the horse’s neck.

Castiel ignored Leviathan and gathered up his bags. He glanced at the horse and back at his bags. He wasn’t accustomed to carrying the extra weight around and had been looking forward to when the others would finally catch up—though dreading it at the same time. ‘Would you mind if I put these on your saddle?’ he asked, raising the bags. Two stamps and a nod to the side was all Castiel needed to hurry forward and secure his bags.

Castiel stepped away and frowned as the horse sidestepped , following him. He looked over, and she swung her head toward her side. ‘It’s all good. All tied down. Um… Thank you?’

She snorted loudly and kicked at the ground in frustration as she shook her head. She felt her rein lightly swaying against her neck and moved her head to grab at it. When she managed to get it in her mouth, she dropped it onto Castiel’s shoulder and gently bumped the side of his head.

‘Y… You want me to _ride_ you?!’ The reins fell from Castiel’s shoulder as he moved away and brought his hands up. He flinched as the horse confirmed his worry. ‘I don’t know _how_! I’d probably accidentally kick you or…or pull on something too hard…or… _something_!’

The horse gave Castiel a hard stare and nodded in the direction of the town.

Castiel swallowed and licked his lips as he stared at the empty saddle. ‘Yeah…wouldn’t be anywhere near as bad as him… Okay… Just…go slow?’ His tension eased as the horse promised as well as she could.

He placed his foot in the stirrup and fell over as she moved away. ‘H-hey!’ Leviathan glared up at the horse. ‘ _You’re_ the one that wants me up there!’ he shouted as he stood. ‘We’re perfectly happy right here!’ He stiffened as the horse came up to him and sniffed at his face and down his front. ‘Two people, same body,’ he growled in explanation. He crossed his arms and groaned in annoyance as he was circled and sniffed at. He looked down when she nibbled at his left pant leg.

The horse stood in front of Leviathan and waited.

‘What? You’re just gonna move away again,’ he mumbled. He rolled his eyes as she nodded to the saddle and brought her hoof down twice. ‘Yes, you are. I’m on to you!’

She glared at Leviathan and circled him again. She turned so that her right side was facing him then nibbled at his right leg. She turned again and nibbled at his left leg. She nickered and stared at him expectantly as she watched the human’s eyes dart back and forth with his private conversation.

‘Oh. Wrong leg,’ Leviathan said quietly. The horse’s hoof came down once, and Leviathan huffed angrily through his nose as he felt his face heat up. ‘Fine! Here!’ He placed his left foot into the stirrup and struggled to pull himself up. He was certain that his brother would be laughing his head off if he had been there. He managed to get his stomach on the saddle then slowly pulled himself around until his was properly straddling the horse. He looked down and pushed Castiel’s consciousness forward.

Castiel swallowed and nodded as he reached down and took the reins in one hand and tightly gripped the saddle horn with the other. ‘O-okay… I can do this… Um…’ He half-heartedly raised the reins and shook them. ‘Giddyup?’

He yelped loudly as the horse broke into a happy trot. ‘This is not slow!’ he exclaimed. He breathed a sigh of relief as the movement slowed, but he still felt as if he were being jostled around too much. He kept fidgeting in his seat, experimenting with where to place his weight. He looked up as the horse stopped and looked back at him. ‘Uh… Sorry? I’ll just…sit here. Like this? Is this okay?’

They continued on their way, and Castiel had completely let go of the reins in favor of clutching the saddle horn with both hands as he looked around. Every so often, the horse would pick up speed, and Castiel would cry out in surprise. He knew she was teasing him, and he figured that he would let her continue. It was the least he could do after what he had done. It was just too bad that they couldn’t properly communicate. After spilling his woes and worries about his relationship with Dean and leaving without a word, he wished that he could have another opinion. Even if it was from a horse. Some nameless horse.

‘Hey, Horse… Well, that’s just it… I think you need a name,’ Castiel said as he leaned forward. ‘How does Sally sound? Mary? Josephine? Ambidextrous? Coalesce?’

He trailed off from the list of names that had turned into random words as the horse slowed to a stop. ‘Uh… How many syllables do you want? Er…sounds,’ he asked. One kick to the ground was his reply. ‘One. Simple. Easy… Anne? Mm… Bev? Ch…az?’

The horse shifted restlessly as Castiel slowly made his way through the alphabet. How hard could it be to come up with a decent name? A quick, easy name that wasn’t ‘Willful Beast’ or ‘Goddamned Horse’. She lowered her head in disappointment as Castiel began slipping in extra syllables.

‘Lacy, Lou, Ligament, Lane, Latin, Magnet, Mo-oh!’ Castiel’s grip tightened when the horse moved with without warning. ‘M-Magnet?’ Two stomps and shaking head. ‘Short. Right. Mag? Er… Net? Mat?’ He kept an eye on the twitching ears. He got more of a reaction to the ‘m’ sound. What names started with M?

‘Mmm…Moe? May? Marge? Margaret? Matron? Megan?’ A large eye stared at him, and an ear cocked in his direction. He got three stamps in reply.

‘I guess that’s a maybe… I think Meg would be short for Megan. How does Meg sound?’ Castiel asked. There was a nod before the horse, now dubbed ‘Meg’, began walking again.

‘ _We should also discuss this communication issue_ ,’ Leviathan said from his corner in Castiel’s mind. ‘ _Yes, no, and maybe can only get us so far._ ’

‘I suppose we could fit her with a loudspeaker and find a way to translate her brainwaves into sound,’ Castiel replied aloud. He cautiously let go of the saddle and reached for his messenger bag. He pulled out a leather bound journal and pencil and opened it to a blank page. After making a crude drawing of a horse head and brain cavity, he began mapping out sections and making notes on the best way to attach the speaker. ‘If we were to place the speaker in a collar, then we would have to find a way to run the wires down her neck.’

‘ _Exterior, and any bridle would interfere_ ,’ Leviathan put in. ‘ _Under the skin, and there’s no way of knowing how fast they’re wearing down… We also run the risk of degradation in quality with longer wires._ ’

‘Then we keep it as close to the brain as possible. Possibly rig it up to the bridle itself?’

‘ _Oh! Here. Let me._ ’ Leviathan took control and drew a slim triangle atop the drawing’s forehead. ‘There. Just have it run right in there. Removable, accessible, _and_ fashionable.’ Leviathan scratched in his notes—his handwriting jagged compared to Castiel’s. He smiled as he felt Castiel nodding along.

‘We should practice on something else first,’ Leviathan said as he held the journal out and examined their work. ‘Something simple.’

‘ _Something easy to catch_ ,’ Castiel added. ‘ _We won’t be able to do anything until we have supplies, though._ ’

Leviathan sighed in irritation and glared up at the road ahead. ‘Details. We don’t even know where we are, or where the next town is!’ He gasped and drew back as Meg’s walk picked up a slight bounce to it.

‘Meg knows where she’s going,’ Castiel said and lightly patted Meg’s neck. ‘Do you think we’ll be there before nightfall?’

Meg chewed on her bit in thought. She had travelled this road before. She had been to the town on the other end several times. She could easily make it there before dark, but she would have to move faster. She tried out a trot before moving to a canter after Castiel made no argument.

Castiel miserably clung to saddle horn with one hand, the other tightly clutching his journal to his chest. He wondered just how long he would have to endure this torture. At least, for once, he was properly running away. If and when the others _did_ catch up to him, he wouldn’t feel the need to be as embarrassed. He watched the scenery go by as he wondered if he should leave some sort of sign.

‘ _We could hide in the depths of Hell, and Dean would still be able to find us_ ,’ Leviathan said. ‘ _Once he figures out that arm, we’re gonna regret giving it to him._ ’

Castiel swallowed and nodded. Maybe tossing in a homing spell hadn't been such a good idea.


	8. Chapter 8

The sun was beginning set by the time Meg and Castiel reached the outskirts of a small town. Meg slowed to a stop by a large tree and waited for Castiel to dismount. As far as riders went, Castiel was easy to deal with. He didn’t kick hor or abruptly pull on the reigns. Aside from the constant stream of words (half of which she couldn’t understand), she was enjoying Castiel’s easy company.

Castiel groaned as he slid off the saddle and stumbled onto the dirt road. He rubbed his inner thighs and looked up at Meg. ‘I take it you’ll be staying out of sight?’ he asked. Meg confirmed his suspicion, and he nodded. ‘It’s for the best, I guess. Thank you, again. You’re…free to leave if you want.’

Meg nuzzled Castiel’s cheek and tapped the ground twice. She wasn’t about to let this human get away so easily.

‘Oh, well, uh… I guess I’ll meet you on the other side of town at sunrise?’ he said. He grabbed his bags from Meg’s saddle and looked back the way they had come. ‘Do you think they’ll catch up by then?’

Two stomps.

‘Should we wait?’

There was a drawn out pause then Meg’s hoof came down two more times. She whinnied and nudged Castiel’s chest. She closed her eyes happily as Castiel pet her nose.

‘All right. Then we keep moving. I’ll see about getting everything I need for your uh…voice…box…horn,’ Castiel said with a sigh. 'And a better name for it.'

Two hours later, and Castiel found himself in a small hotel room with a sack of random goods laid out on the bed before him. He was lucky that this town wasn't actively hunting out Maddies. He couldn't imagine what he would do if it had been otherwise. He had found a general store with a backroom that catered to his ilk and had gotten a little excited. Half of his pilfered money was gone, and he had a sack full of miscellaneous components and tools that he felt he needed. Some of which, he was certain that Leviathan had managed to sneak in.

He could feel Leviathan slinking around in the back of his mind, thoughts lingering miserably on the empty bed they would be sleeping in that night. 'Maybe…'

' _No_ ,' Leviathan insisted. ' _We have to be firm in this. No one will take us seriously if we just sit around like some…lapdog! We were dismissed. Make him work at getting us back_.'

Castiel nodded as he sat down on the edge of the bed and began sifting through his purchase. 'We should at least make a prototype for Meg’s horn before going to sleep.'

Leviathan agreed, noting that they could use the small set of antlers that hung above the bed to encase the wiring and speaker.

Castiel glanced up at the antlers, following Leviathan's thoughts. 'That's a bit…tacky. Don't you think?' He sighed in resignation as Leviathan promised him that Dean would like what he had in mind and set to work.

.-.-.-.-.

‘Dammit,’ Dean muttered. ‘It’s gettin’ dark, and there’s still no sign of that idiot. What the hell?’

Sam dropped onto the ground and began unhitching the horses. ‘Maybe he got a lift?’ he said. ‘Gabriel said he never strays from the path and eventually gives up and just waits. He’s…he’s really worried.’

‘Me, too,’ Dean quietly admitted as he hopped down and made his way to the back of the wagon. The door opened just as he reached for it, and Gabriel darted past him with a lantern. ‘We haven’t found him yet!’ he called out. He sighed as Gabriel ignored him, calling out for Castiel. He looked over as Benny stepped out and laid a hand on his shoulder.

‘How are you doing?’ Benny asked.

Dean shrugged and shook his head helplessly. ‘I dunno. I’m worried. About him. About anyone he might come across… Gabriel thinks he won’t do anything, but I just don’t know. I wanna trust him, but…he’s still a Maddy, and I don’t know him that well.’

‘Maddies are crafty by nature,’ Benny said. He watched as Gabriel stalked by to the other side of the path. ‘Granted, there is a reason they’re called “ _Mad_ Scientists”...’ He and Dean watched as Gabriel circled a tree before poking at the branches with a stick.

‘I hope we find Cas soon,’ Sam said as he stood next to Dean. ‘He’s getting irrational.’

‘Hey! The sooner we get some sleep, the sooner we can leave,’ Dean called out.

Gabriel dropped his stick and stared back at the three men forlornly. ‘But…what if he shows up in the middle of the night?’

‘I’ll keep my eye out for him,’ Benny replied. ‘I’ll lure him in my teeth.’

Dean gave Benny a doubtful look and lowered his voice. ‘That’s not help—’

‘Yeah… I guess that’ll work,’ Gabriel said as he returned to the wagon. ‘Just be sure to _really_ flash ‘em!’ He bared his own teeth in example and patted Benny on the shoulder as he passed by. ‘Maybe throw in a little hiss, too. He likes the hissing.’

Dean looked around in confusion and thinned his lips. ‘Okay…’

Benny smiled at Dean and let his fangs extend. ‘I know how they think.’

‘Apparently.’

Gabriel climbed back into the wagon and laid out his bedding. There was no point in searching for Castiel. Was his brother so eager to get away that he would have actually stayed from the path? Did he find someone to give him a ride? Was his brother stable enough to even negotiate getting a ride from a complete stranger? What if the sheriff and his posse had come across him? The sheriff had looked pretty smug when they passed him that morning, but he hadn’t said anything to them. Did he kill Castiel? String him up or shoot him?

Gabriel gasped when someone touched his shoulder. He looked up to find Sam’s worried face. ‘He’s gotta be okay…’

‘I’m sure he’ll be fine,’ Sam said quietly as he knelt beside Gabriel. ‘How often does he do this?’

‘Often enough,’ Gabriel admitted. ‘But he always gives up after a mile or so. Five’s the farthest he’s ever gotten before.’

‘He probably got a ride to the next town. I’m sure we’ll find him there.’

Gabriel nodded and leaned against Sam. ‘I’m worried. He doesn’t do too good when there’s no one else to give him some extra input,’ he said. ‘He starts to listen to Chompy. And that… Well, just look at your brother’s arm. He goes overboard. He starts doing things he shouldn’t. Nothing terrible. Nothing…bad. But, he does have more trouble practicing restraint.’

A soft knock on the wall drew their attention to Dean, standing on the ground outside and leaning into the wagon.

‘Hey, uh… My wrist is doing something weird,’ Dean said.

‘Consider your company,’ Gabriel said flatly. ‘Define “weird”.’

‘I have a compass and a dot,’ Dean replied, raising his prosthetic arm and showing the lightly pulsating jewel.

Gabriel frowned and crawled across the floor to get a better look. He took Dean’s hand in his and lightly tapped the center of the green jewel. It flickered and changed to reveal a number. His eyes darted up to Dean’s face and back down, and he swallowed. ‘What do you know about mixing tech with magic?’

‘Enough that I know I’m not gonna like what you have to say,’ Dean evenly replied. He pulled his hand back and flexed his fingers. ‘I know even Maddies get a little wary about mixing it. So I have a magitech arm. Great. This ain’t gonna blow up on me, is it?’

Gabriel breathed a sigh of relief. Dean wasn’t thrilled to hear about the magic in his arm, but at least he wasn’t foaming at the mouth like Gabriel had been expecting. ‘Cas and Chompy know what they’re doing,’ he replied. ‘In all honesty, they would be the only ones out there that I’d trust to get something like that right, so, no. The arm’s not gonna blow up on you.’

‘All right, so what is it?’ Dean asked.

Gabriel sighed and moved to Castiel’s trunk. He dug through it until he found a rolled up set of papers. He thumbed through them and pulled out a sheet with a technical drawing of the inner workings of a mechanical hand. Neat handwriting and jagged scrawls alike adorned the page.

‘Is that my hand?’ Dean asked as he climbed into the wagon.

Gabriel nodded and read through Castiel’s notes.

Sam tilted his head and narrowed his eyes at the sigils that surround one of the drawings of the jewel that adorned Dean’s wrist. ‘Those are spells,’ he said. ‘They’re… Are they… _wired_ into him?’

Dean sucked in a breath and stared at the green jewel. He hadn’t giving it much thought before. The jewel gave the time when he was curious, and that was pretty convenient. He had thought it had some sort of inner mechanical working, not magic. ‘So why would he put magitech in my arm?’

‘Leviathan’s idea,’ Gabriel mumbled in reply. ‘And Cas knows better than to listen to him. Dammit! This is why we need to find him! If he’s on his own for too long, then they start…collaborating. Those fucking bees happened the last time he was on his own.’

‘Bees? What bees?’ Dean asked suspiciously—he had a pretty good idea, though.

Gabriel glanced up from the drawing, looking from Dean to Sam. He could feel a third set of eyes on him and looked to see Benny staring at him from the doorway. ‘Uh… Just…bees. They uh…may be geometrically inclined to favor a uh…triangular-based shape…’

‘Anything else I need to know?’ Dean said in a calm tone.

Gabriel dropped his eyes to his lap and shrugged. ‘There’s a lot of stuff… But we’re not bad people,’ he insisted.

Dean rolled his eyes. He had to admit that Gabriel and Castiel had yet to do anything that would warrant him turning them in. Making strange gadgets that were useful, freeing a horse from an abusive owner, and somehow creating a species of bee that had begun trading with nearby humans wasn’t exactly _bad_. They had had a hard start and were doing their best to survive. Much like him and Sam.

‘Fine. I’ll let it go. For now,’ he said. ‘Just tell me what the hell my wrist is doing.’

Gabriel licked his lips and glanced at Sam. He received a nod, and went back to studying Castiel’s notes. ‘Um… Looks like some pretty basic mechanics and spell work. Basic monitor for heartbeat and circadian rhythm. Time, date… Monster detector? It can wake you up when there’s a threat. Helps you adjust to a new sleep schedule. God, you’re getting off cheap… Here we are. Locator spell. If you’re around someone long enough, you can lock onto them, and that little monitor of yours just needs you to think about them,’ he said. He looked up and gestured to Dean’s wrist. ‘So…my guess is that Cas is...what was it? Ten more miles off?’

Dean looked down at his wrist an nodded. ‘Says twelve.’

Gabriel looked hopeful as he stared up at Dean. ‘Well? That’s not that much farther. We should get going!’

Dean shook his head and turned away. ‘No way. The horses need the rest, and so do we,’ he said. He took another glance at his wrist. ‘It also has feet on here, and it looks like he’s staying put for the night. We’ll head out before sunrise. See if we can’t get a head start on him,’ he said before jumping down from the wagon.

Gabriel huffed and tossed Castiel’s work back into the trunk. ‘Fine. I’ll just walk it. It’s only ten miles. That’s nothing,’ he said, his voice losing it’s certainty with every word.

Sam tugged on Gabriel’s sleeve, gaining the Maddy’s attention. ‘It’s too dark for that, and you know it,’ he said. ‘At least we know for certain where he is.’

‘I guess,’ Gabriel said quietly. ‘But what if he keeps moving?’

‘Then we keep following. We’ll catch up eventually,’ Sam said. ‘If it comes down to it, then Dean’ll rida ahead and drag him back.’

Gabriel let out a slow breath as Sam gently kissed his temple. ‘No point in worrying, huh?’ He turned his head and stared at Sam. He sucked on his lower lip and let his eyes slowly travel over Sam’s body. ‘Wouldn’t mind taking my mind off things for a bit, would you?’ he asked, pressing his luck.

Sam raised a brow and leaned away. ‘You sure really want that? Right now?’

‘Not really,’ Gabriel admitted. He moved back to where he had laid out his blanket and looked around the wagon. ‘The vampire’s staying up, but where’s your brother gonna sleep?’

‘With the vampire, I’m sure,’ Sam said sardonically.

‘Lucky Cas. Too bad he’s not here to enjoy it,’ Gabriel muttered as he pulled off his waistcoat and wiggled out of his suspenders and trousers. He slipped under his blanket and curled up, preparing for a night of sleeping alone. He listened as Sam moved around for a bit before killing the lantern. Another blanket covered him, and Sam positioned himself behind him, wrapping an arm around his waist.

‘Get some sleep,’ Sam whispered. ‘We’ll get everything figured out in the morning.’

Gabriel closed his eyes and, for a moment, let himself believe that everything _would_ be all right.

.-.-.-.-.

Dean had closed the door to the wagon and was tapping on the jewel that adorned his wrist as he made his way to the small fire that Benny had started. He blinked in surprise as a bright red dot appeared on the jewel just after a tap. It flashed quickly with a word and distance listed beneath it.

Vampire. 5 ft.

He looked up and, sure enough, there was Benny. Five feet in front of him. He smirked and closed the distance between them. He stopped just behind Benny and ran his hands over the crouching vampire’s shoulders.

Benny looked up at Dean and offered a smile. ‘So I guess I get to watch you sleep tonight?’

Dean laughed as he sat beside Benny. ‘Guess so. At least that’s something you ‘n’ Cas have in common,’ he said. ‘Unless everyone likes to watch me sleep, and no one’s told me.’

‘Well, you do have a very peaceful and innocent look to you while you sleep,’ Benny replied and leaned close. He let his lips brush over Dean’s, and his smile widened as Dean tilted his head back, exposing his neck. ‘It’s very misleading.’

Dean bit back a moan as he felt Benny’s breath ghost over the right side of his neck. He let his eyes fall shut and took a shuddering breath in anticipation.

‘Do you think your little Maddy will mind if I help myself?’ Benny asked as he nuzzled his nose against Dean’s pulse.

‘Our Maddy,’ Dean reminded. He sighed happily as Benny kissed his throat. ‘Think the only thing he’d mind is not bein’ here to watch.’ He gasped as pointed teeth dragged against his skin without breaking the surface. ‘Please,’ he whined, leaning into Benny.

Benny gently took Dean into his arms as he kissed and sucked at Dean’s neck. He lightly nipped, pulling excited moans from Dean. He guided Dean onto the ground before letting himself go and sinking his fangs into Dean’s neck. Blood hit his tongue, and he growled as Dean writhed beneath him, arching and begging for more. He willingly obliged, gulping down another mouthful of blood. Oh, how his missed that taste.

Dean gasped in time with Benny’s sucking. He clung tightly to Benny’s shoulders, thrusting his hips upward, hoping to gain some friction. His heart beat fast, and despite the warmth of the fire, he felt a chill. In the back of his mind, he wondered just how much of his blood Benny had drunk down.

He blinked blearily as a flashing light in front of his face caught his attention. Scrunching his face in confusion, he tried to comprehend what he was seeing. A red droplet flashed beside a steadily growing number. He watched as the number slowed and eventually stopped climbing.

Benny had stopped sucking at Dean’s neck and was now lovingly caressing the wound with his tongue, leaving sweet kisses between each swipe.

‘You just drank about one and a half litres of blood,’ he said lazily. He whined as Benny quickly pulled away, staring down at him in shock.

‘I didn’t mean to take so much!’

‘I’m good,’ Dean replied as he tried to sit up. A wave of dizziness hit him, and he sunk back onto the ground. ‘I’m good right here.’

Benny shook his head as he smiled fondly at Dean. ‘You’ll be fine,’ he said as he shifted around Dean. He moved so that Dean’s head rested in his lap.

‘Course I’ll be fine,’ Dean said. ‘This is nothin’ compared to that cockatrice bite. At least I’m not hallucinating.’

‘Or losing any limbs,’ Benny added and stroked Dean’s hair.

Dean raised his arm to examine it. ‘He did a good job on it… Half the time, I don’t even know I’m missin’ an arm,’ he said quietly. He laughed softly as he moved his wrist back and forth. ‘He traded it for the promise of sex. Talk about lonely. Course…I jumped at the deal.’

‘Think we could all use the company,’ Benny quietly replied. He pulled his coat off and laid it over Dean’s chest. ‘Get some rest. You need it.’

Dean nodded and snuggled against Benny’s thigh. His thoughts drifted to Castiel, and he wondered what he should do when they finally caught up to Castiel.

.-.-.-.

Later that night, Dean was awakened by Benny gently shaking him. He groaned in annoyance and turned on his side.

‘Think your brother wants a word with you,’ Benny said quietly.

Dean slowly sat up and threw Sam a half-hearted glare. He rubbed at his neck self-consciously when he saw Sam staring. ‘What’d ya’ need?’ he asked.

Sam glanced at Benny and back to Dean. ‘There’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about…’

Benny nodded as he stood. ‘I’ll leave you to it,’ he said before walking away.

Dean sighed as he watched Benny and didn’t move as Sam sat next to him in front of the fire. ‘What’s on your mind, Sammy?’ A few minutes passed with him and Sam staring at the fire in silence. ‘Sam? You okay?’ Dean asked, worried.

‘Um… I don’t…know…,’ Sam replied haltingly. ‘You remember what Azazel did to me and the others… The injections…’

‘Yeah, but that’s all over,’ Dean said, facing Sam. He had noticed that his brother had bouts of uneasiness while Gabriel would tinker. He had his own unease with Castiel, so he had figured it was similar and nothing to worry about. ‘You’re fine now.’

Sam shook his head. ‘I don’t think so,’ he said shakily. ‘I…I can… I can follow along while Gabriel’s working. I can see the mistakes he making when he works too quick. I… Shit. I can actually understand some of the blueprints to your arm. Not the whole thing, but…I have no problem understanding most of the technical workings.’

‘Well… Maybe you’ve just picked it up? Huntin’ Maddies… _bound_ to learn something,’ Dean said.

‘This is different,’ Sam insisted. ‘It started _after_ we joined up with Gabe and Cas.’

‘You think they did something to you?’ Dean asked lowly, throwing a glance to the wagon. A protective anger welled up inside him, and he heard the telltale ‘click’ of his knuckles and gun.

Sam quickly touched Dean’s shoulder, shaking his head. ‘No, no, nothing like that. Whatever Azazel did, I think it’s…resurfacing. It’s like… Being around them has kinda reactivated it. Gabriel, specifically.’

Dean relaxed and looked back at Sam. ‘You sure about that?’ he asked, and Sam nodded. ‘Right. So…do you feel like you have to uh…I dunno. Make things? Cut people open? Experiment?’

‘Nothing like that,’ Sam replied. ‘I just… _understand_ ,’ he said with a helpless shrug. He huffed as Dean gave him a confused look. ‘I mean, I can take one look at what Gabriel’s working on, and know exactly what it’s for. I can see when he’s using a gear that’s _one_ size off! They used to look exactly the same to me…’

Dean held up his prosthetic arm in front of Sam. ‘So you know how this works just by looking at the blueprints?’

‘Sorta, but… I get the mechanical part. I understand how it’s made and a little of how it works, but once it gets into the magic and how it connects to your nerves and your thoughts, then I’m completely lost. That’s when I feel normal,’ Sam explained. He leaned back on his elbows and stared at the fire, wondering how he could explain how he felt.

‘So… Like how I’m good with horses and carriages. I can even get a grasp of the motorized carriages as long as it hasn’t been _enhanced_ by a Maddy. Once a Maddy’s gotten ahold of it, then I’m lost. Shouldn’t be. Everything’s there, but it’s all different,’ Dean said.

‘So imagine what it’d be like if you could suddenly understand a motorized carriage made by a Maddy. One they made from _scratch_. No base model to go off of.’ Sam watched as Dean grimaced in sympathy.

‘On the bright side… You’ll know if Gabriel makes something illegal,’ Dean said. He gave Sam an optimistic smile, but he just wasn’t feeling it and let it fall. ‘Don’t know what to tell ya’. You _will_ tell me if it gets worse, right? If you start getting…um…urges?’

‘Like I said, it’s not like before,’ Sam replied, nodding. ‘I don’t feel like I have to _do_ anything. It’s…it’s like…’ He sighed in frustration as he tried to come up with a good explanation.

‘Like you can read the language a book’s written in, but the cover ain’t all that interesting?’ Dean suggested.

‘Exactly!’ Sam smiled more easily. ‘And I really don’t think I could build anything from scratch. No ideas. Nothing. Just…pure understanding.’

‘So it’s a side effect that’s resurfacing thanks to hanging around Maddies. Great.’ Dean laughed to himself as a thought struck him. ‘Hate to say it, Sammy, but uh… Congratulations.’

‘Huh?’

‘You’re now a Mad Scientist’s hot assistant,’ he said jokingly.

Sam rolled his eyes as he stood. ‘Your concern for me is astounding,’ he said sarcastically as he brushed off the dirt from his legs. ‘I’m going back to sleep. See ya’ in the morning.’

Dean waved Sam off and waited until the door to the wagon shut before sighing heavily. If Sam was showing signs of Azazel’s treatments resurfacing, then what about the other kids? Were they all like him? Were they worse?

He jumped as Benny settled next to him and tried to give the vampire a carefree smile.

‘Bad news, I take it?’ Benny asked.

Dean mulled over his thoughts for a moment. It wasn’t bad news. It wasn’t too surprising, either. They had both known that there was the possibilty of a relapse. ‘Just news, I guess,’ he replied.

‘Does it concern Castiel?’

Dean shook his head and laughed. ‘No, thank God!’ He glanced at his wrist and tapped it until Castiel’s distance showed up. It hadn’t changed since the last time that he had checked. ‘No, it’s something else all together. Me ‘n’ Sam’ll have it all sorted in no time.’

‘Then I’ll leave you to it,’ Benny said quietly. He leaned in and kissed the side of Dean’s neck. ‘Best be getting back to sleep. Long day ahead, and Maddies are unpredictable.’

‘You think he’s gonna keep moving,’ Dean stated.

‘I think he’s gonna do what _he_ thinks is best,’ Benny replied. ‘Take any other human thoughts for what they think is best, then take out all rational reasoning.’

‘Right.’ Dean laid down and pulled Benny’s coat back over himself. After a few minutes of silence, he spoke up. ‘Hey, how is it you understand Maddies so well?’ he asked.

‘Known a few in my time,’ Benny replied. ‘Monsters tend to stick together.’

‘But they’re not—’

‘They’re hunted like they are.’

Dean couldn’t argue. He had made his living as a professional monster bounty hunter, and Maddies were always right next to the monsters with either ‘Maddy’ or ‘Nonco’ listed as species.

‘Guess I can see how they’d be more open with monsters,’ he said quietly. He turned onto his back and watched as a flashing light drifted across the sky. He closed his eyes and returned to his side, blocking out the sudden thought of aeroplanes. He really hoped that Castiel never got it in his head to build any sort of flying contraption.

 


	9. Chapter 9

Five miles west of the small town, Castiel had managed to catch a rabbit just as the sun was rising. He had everything that he would need to install the prototype voice box he made laid out on a flat stump he had found. It wouldn’t take him very long to complete the procedure—a couple hours at most.

Leviathan licked his lips as he carefully opened the rabbit’s skull. A shadow fell over the rabbit in his lap, and he looked up and glared at Meg. ‘You’re blocking the light,’ he ground out, doing his best not to lose his temper with the horse. The last thing he needed was to offend his ride—especially when that ride could easily trample him rather than just leave him.

Meg moved around to the other side to watch the strange human work. She had decided that she liked Castiel a lot more than Leviathan early on. Both were uneasy around her, but at least Castiel tried to be polite about it. She chewed on her bit as Leviathan placed a small plate over the rabbit’s exposed brain. The plate had wires protruding from the top and tiny holes dotted throughout—each hole had a small, intricately decorated circle surrounding it.

Next to the set of tools sitting atop the stump was a small selection of needle-sized rods—each had a flattened head with a sigil engraved on it. He reached over and picked up the longest rod and slowly pressed it into the center hole of the plate.

‘This is the main rod,’ Castiel explained as he took over. ‘It’s what connects the spellwork and discards the loose thoughts.’ He explained each rod’s purpose as he worked them in. One for translating thoughts into words, one for volume control, one for tone, and so on. ‘And this one is to give him a basic vocabulary. You won’t need one since you already have an understanding of the English language. Oh, and this one…’

Meg lost interest as Castiel rambled on about how each spell connected to the next and how the magic and technology communicated with each other. All she had wanted to see and understand was what Castiel planned to do to give her speech. She wasn’t thrilled about having her head cut open, but it was probably better than being branded. At the very least, she would be asleep for the procedure. She looked at her rump and gave a sigh. She would have to have something done to her brand, but she would save that conversation for after she could speak.

She trotted back to Castiel’s side and watched as he attached the new skull and fur he had made for the rabbit. He tugged the wires tight through a pair of holes and trimmed them down before attaching them to the base of a small pair of antlers. He worked them into the available space and pressed the antlers down and screwed them into place.

Meg nodded as Castiel proudly held up the rabbit for her to see. The first thing that came to her mind upon seeing the antlers was how much damage she would be able to do with a set of her own. Even if Castiel had only planned to give her a single horn, it was still an advantage over her bare forehead.

‘What I have in mind for you will be _much_ more sophisticated,’ Castiel promised. He picked up a syringe filled with Leviathan’s blood and injected it into the rabbit. He then placed the rabbit into the cage resting beside him.

Meg sniffed at the rabbit and snorted at the sanitized smell. She hoped she wouldn’t end up smelling like that. Her distaste for the smell must have come across properly, because Castiel promised it was only temporary.

After an hour, the rabbit began to twitch as he came to. It was daytime, and he was still alive. ‘Alive.’ He froze at the sudden sound of a human call.

‘Oh, good. You’re awake,’ Castiel said softly as he knelt beside the cage. ‘How are you feeling?’

‘Human! Close! Run!’ The rabbit tried to run away but hit the edge of the cage. ‘Trap!’ He huddled against the corner, staring fearfully at the human. ‘Away!’ He cringed as he realized the human calls were much closer to his ears than the human in front of him.

‘It’s okay,’ Castiel said soothingly. ‘You’re going to be all right.’

‘No! Lie! Dead!’ The rabbit looked around wildly, unable to find the second human. He found nothing and sniffed at the air. All he could smell was one human, a horse, himself, and a strange smell coming from his head. There was also a new weight and dull pain coming from the top of his head as well. He brought his leg up to scratch at the pain, and the human startled.

‘No, no, no! Don’t scratch at it!’

The rabbit pressed his side against the cage. He didn’t think humans could speak rabbit. He watched warily as the human lifted a circle. In the circle was another rabbit. _Mirror_ was the word that supplied itself. _He_ was the other rabbit. He was looking at _himself_. His curiosity overpowered his fear, and he moved closer to the mirror. ‘Me.’

‘Yes, that’s you,’ Castiel replied. He smiled as the rabbit’s focus shifted to him. ‘Um… I uh…made you smarter.’

‘You make.’ The rabbit’s ears twitched as he realized that _he_ was the one speaking. He could understand the human’s calls, and he was able to make the same sounds. Somehow, the human had given him the power. ‘No eat?’ he hesitantly asked.

‘No,’ Castiel said, shaking his head. ‘How do you feel?’

‘Fear,’ the rabbit replied. ‘No eat. What want? Want warm?’ He couldn’t think of anything else another would want from him. It wasn’t particularly cold, but humans didn’t have enough fur to keep them protected.

‘I just wanted to see if this would work. Er… Giving an animal proper speech capabilities.’ Castiel shrugged as he looked away. ‘I…can probably reverse it. If you want. Given time.’

The rabbit thought about the offer. He could go back to what he knew as normal. He could go back to foraging and narrowly escaping the jaws of the coyote and the claws of the eagle. Already, he could see new ways to escape his predators. Ways to hide. Places to run. ‘No. Stay this. New good. Alive. Stay alive.’

Castiel sighed in relief and nodded. ‘Then all I ask is for you to deliver a message.’

.-.-.-.-.

‘Dammit! He’s on the move again!’ Dean shouted, slamming his fist on the seat. Next to him, Sam jumped in surprise. ‘At this rate, we’re never gonna catch up!’

‘What’s going on?’ Gabriel asked as he poked his head through the window behind Sam and Dean.

Dean silently raised his arm, showing the gem on his wrist to Gabriel.

‘I thought you said he stopped,’ Gabriel said accusingly.

‘He did. For a whole three hours,’ Dean replied as he dropped his arm. ‘Seriously thought he was gonna do like you said and wait. Judgin’ by the time he’s making, he didn’t hitch a ride—he’s got his own horse.’

Gabriel nodded. ‘Probably the sheriff’s horse. She seemed to like him when we, er, he injected her.’

‘How much faster is he going?’ Sam asked.

‘Fast enough,’ Dean growled. He shook his head suddenly as sleep tried to grasp him. ‘We’re gonna have to cut our breaks down to just enough for the horses to rest.’

‘What about getting another horse? That way we can keep moving, and you can ride ahead and catch him,’ Gabriel suggested.

Sam shook his head. ‘We don’t have the money for that, and Dean… Well, I don’t think he’s up to making a long ride on his own.’

Gabriel looked at Dean and caught him drifting before jolting back to wakefulness. He ran his eyes over Dean and stared at the healing bite poking out from his collar. ‘Couldn’t wait, could you?’

‘Gabriel,’ Sam said warningly.

‘No, it’s fine. Here, I’ll get us a horse. They’re like…what? One…two hundred dollars? I can swing that. And I’ll mix up something for Dean that’ll give him an energy boost,’ Gabriel said, nodding to himself.

Dean looked over his shoulder at Gabriel. ‘I know Maddies are crazy, but how can you talk about two hundred bucks like it’s _nothin’_?’ he asked incredulously. ‘That’s…that’s a year’s work for normal people!’

‘You only make two hundred in a year?’ Gabriel asked slowly. ‘Really? How do you live?’

Dean looked at Sam and frowned.

‘Well, I think we average out to about five hundred. One year, we reached a thousand, but there was a particularly good bounty thrown in there,’ Sam said, trailing off with a shrug. ‘How much… How much do you and Cas usually bring in?’

Gabriel tapped his nails on the tiny window sill he was leaning on. ‘Depends on what kind of work we can get,’ he carefully replied. ‘If I can sell my trinkets to the right people, and if enough people see Cas, then we usually snag around three thousand. That’s the low end, granted. And that’s…not really including what we occasionally have to make if we’re in a pinch.’

‘Make,’ Dean repeated, snapping fully awake. ‘As in _counterfeit_?’

‘Only for bribing!’ Gabriel quickly insisted. ‘We’ve never given fake money to honest people! That’d be _wrong_!’

‘I wonder about your sense of right and wrong,’ Dean grumbled.

‘I’d rather be turned in for counterfeiting than being a Maddy. At least then I’d have a _chance_.’

‘It’s still—’

‘Dean.’ Sam waited for his brother to give him his full attention. ‘You’re a hustler, a gambler, and have been known to forge a few signatures on occasion. I don’t think you get to turn him in for something _you’d_ do.’

Dean rolled his eyes as he leaned back. He was tired and irritated and was only lashing out because of it. The wagon lurched over a bump, jostling him to the side, and he reached over, taking the reigns from Sam. He stopped the wagon and dropped to the ground. ‘I gotta get some sleep. I’m gonna fall over and get run over by the damned wagon at this rate,’ he explained at Sam’s questioning gaze.

He rounded the wagon and found Gabriel staring down at him anxiously from the open door. ‘We’re not stopping,’ Dean said as he brought up his wrist and tapped at the jewel a few times. ‘Doesn’t look like Cas is strayin’ from the road, so just have Sam take us straight through the town. If we reach a fork, wake me up. Or whenever you need an update. A _real_ update. Not every two minutes. Got it?’

Gabriel nodded before hopping down. ‘I’m getting a horse when we reach town. What kind do you want?’ he asked as Dean climbed into the wagon.

‘What? Horse? _Why?_ ’

‘So you can get Cas.’

‘Gabriel, I’m recovering from blood loss. I’m not up for it. And before you even say it, I’m not all that into you giving me something for it, okay? If you desperately need someone to ride ahead, yer gonna have to wait or send Sam. Or go yourself,’ Dean replied.

‘You’re the one with the Cas-tracker. It has to be you.’

‘Then you’re gonna have to wait,’ Dean stressed before pulling the door shut. He groaned as Gabriel shouted through the door that Sam would pick the horse. ‘I’m gonna kill him. I’m gonna kill him, Cas, Sam, me…everyone,’ he mumbled. He snubbed out the lantern hanging from the ceiling and closed the open windows on the front and side walls before making his way to the bench Benny was sleeping on. He stumbled as the wagon began to move, and he dropped to the floor, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the dark. There was just enough light seeping in through the cracks around the shuttered windows to let him make out Benny’s shadowed form.

He tugged a few blankets out from beneath the bench and made himself comfortable on the floor. He reached up to gently tap Benny’s arm. ‘Sleeping down here,’ he said quietly when Benny grunted. ‘Don’t step on me.’

‘Might fall on ya’,’ Benny sleepily mumbled in reply.

‘Then get down here and keep me company.’

Benny snorted as he sat up. ‘Good thing it’s daytime, else I’d be wantin’ more than just a cuddle,’ he said as he joined Dean, wrapping his arms around the other man.

‘Shut up.’

.-.-.-.-.

Sam kept his eyes ahead as Gabriel fawned over the horse following alongside the wagon. He didn’t really believe it when Gabriel had said he was going to buy a horse. At least the Maddy hadn’t paid full price—having haggled the seller down to $120 from the original $200. Gabriel had given Sam a hundred dollars and kept another hundred on himself. Once he had talked the man down, he begged and pleaded for Sam to loan him the extra twenty to complete the purchase.

Sam didn’t know if he was impressed or disgusted.

‘So I was thinking,’ Gabriel said as he moved to face Sam, ‘I should come up with something to keep this guy’s stamina up, y’know?’

‘I don’t care if it’s your horse. Don’t experiment on it,’ Sam replied.

‘But I can make it work on humans and horses alike.’ Gabriel lightly elbowed Sam and grinned lecherously. ‘Sayin’ that _wouldn’t_ be fun?’

‘Gabriel, I really don’t have the best experience with Maddies. This is… I’m going out on a limb for you guys, here.’

Gabriel sat back, blowing a bit of hair from his face. ‘And thanks for that, I guess,’ he mumbled. ‘And thanks for actually going after Cas… It’s just…I don’t know why he’s doing this. From what Dean and his neck-flea—sorry, _Benny_ ,’ he quickly corrected at Sam’s sharp look, ‘said, Cas shouldn’t’ve run off like this. Not for this long.’

‘Do you think there’s something else?’ Sam asked.

Gabriel shook his head as he shrugged. ‘We haven’t really argued about anything lately, and that’s usually when he runs off. Right after a big argument between me ‘n’ Chompy.’

‘So you think it’s Leviathan who’s pushing him further?’

‘Yes. No… They’re the same, so they’re pushing each other. Just think of it like…if there were two of you. One evil and one…not-so evil. No, Chompy’s not really evil, so… Bad example. Um…’ Gabriel chewed on his lip as he tried to find a way to describe his brother’s thought process. ‘Cas is…more likely to do you a favor without you asking for it, and Chompy’s more likely to lash out at you for not thanking him for the favor.’

‘So the good and bad qualities of a person, but personified,’ Sam said, nodding in understanding.

‘Basically. Not as extreme as they were before, but uh… No…? I don’t know!’ Gabriel whined miserably. He slumped heavily against Sam and made a frustrated growl. ‘He’s… They’re… I don’t know. I just live with the guy!’

Sam laughed and lightly pressed his weight back against Gabriel. ‘So he’s just human. Both of him.’

‘C’mon. I don’t normally have to explain Cas and Chompy’s parallels and dichotomy. They’re the same, but… Oh!’ His sat up straight and beamed at Sam. ‘He’s like flammable and inflammable! Cas is inflammable, and Chompy is flammable! There!’ He nodded proudly to himself.

‘Don’t those mean—’

‘Exactly! They’re the same thing, but you get lulled into a false sense of security with Cas because of that “in-” prefix,’ he explained. ‘With Chompy, you know exactly what sort of trouble you’re getting into. If you didn’t know they were the same, you’d think they were combustible and incombustible.’

Sam stared at Gabriel for a moment then looked away in thought. ‘That…makes perfect sense, actually,’ he slowly said. He hoped it was just Gabriel actually _making sense_ , and not him being able to follow the Maddy’s thoughts.

They rode on in partial silence—Gabriel mumbling every so often as he jotted notes in his journal. About an hour later, a tinny, mechanical voice caught Sam’s attention.

‘Hey! Hey! Hey!’

Sam looked around in confusion. ‘You hear that?’

Gabriel looked up from his journal and listened. ‘Yeah. Sounds like a bird I made once. Once.’ He narrowed his eyes as the memory surfaced, and he shuddered. ‘Learned how to shoot a gun because of that thing.’

Sam tugged on reigns and called for the horses to stop.

‘Hey! Hey! You! Hey!’

‘Well, where is it?’ he asked, looking around.

‘Who cares? Keep going,’ Gabriel said, glaring around the path. ‘I’m gonna have nightmares…’

Sam hopped down and followed the voice. ‘Hello?’

A soft rustling drew his attention to a small bush, and he cautiously knelt down for a closer look.

‘Talk Dean.’

Sam blinked in surprise and looked over his shoulder at Gabriel—who was a picture of annoyance. ‘Um… Whatever it is, it’s asking for Dean…’

Gabriel quickly jumped off the seat and joined Sam. ‘I’m Dean,’ he said.

Sam jumped as a large rabbit hopped out from under the bush. Atop its head rested a small pair of antlers. ‘That’s a… W-what…?’

‘Really, Cas?’ Gabriel mumbled as he sat on his heels, covering his mouth. ‘He’s _definitely_ listening to Chompy.’

‘Hand,’ the jackalope demanded.

‘Hand?’

‘Smell hand. Smell safe. Safe stay. Safe give message.’

Gabriel stuck his hand out for the jackalope. He wondered why his brother would leave a message with a rabbit rather than a note somewhere—or why Castiel was even risking creating speaking animal hybrids.

The jackalope sniffed at Gabriel’s hand and shrank back. ‘No. Smell hand that not hand.’

‘Er…’ Gabriel looked at his other hand then at the rabbit. ‘Look, I’m Cas’s brother and a…friend of Dean’s. I’ll get the message to him. I promise.’

‘Talk Dean. Only Dean. No Dean, then leave.’

Gabriel stood suddenly and stormed back to the wagon. He banged loudly on the door before throwing it open to yell inside. ‘Get up and talk to this stupid rabbit!’

Sam grimaced as Dean stuck his head out the door, glaring at Gabriel then Sam. He gestured to the jackalope and shrugged at Dean’s confused stare. ‘We think Cas left it here,’ he explained.

Dean dropped to the ground and moved past Gabriel—both wearing equally sour expressions. ‘Why’s it gotta be _me_?’ he grumbled as he knelt in front of the jackalope.

‘Because _Castiel_ decided it would be prudent to have it talk to you rather than me,’ Gabriel grumpily replied. ‘Let it smell your prosthetic.’

Dean sighed and held his hand out for the creature. As the jackalope sniffed at him, he noticed a small speaker positioned between the pair of antlers. ‘Well?’ he asked when the jackalope sat up and stared at him.

‘You Dean. You Castee mate. I Jack.’

‘Oh, _that’s_ creative,’ Gabriel said under his breath.

‘Well, what’s the message, Jack?’ Dean asked, doing his best not to scare off the rabbit—or spur it into a crazed attack.

‘Castee not like…be…ing treat…ed like…like…’ Jack trailed off and scratched at his ear, trying to remember exactly what Castiel had told him. It didn’t help that the human had switched to the other inhabitant mid-sentence. ‘Ticking lunatic time bomb sex slave,’ he slowly said, sounding out each syllable.

Dean looked up at Gabriel, and they shared an annoyed look. ‘Was I treating him like that?’ he asked. ‘We only slept together _once_!’

‘Castee not fragile. Not toy. Dean not own. Have…heart…feeling. Dean hurt with miss…mistrust.’ Jack licked at his paws and proudly cleaned his face. He had remembered his message and given it to the right person.

‘That’s it?’ Dean asked doubtfully. ‘He rigged you up to talk…just to yell at me?’ He groaned and leaned his head back, staring up at the sky. ‘Really considering cutting my losses,’ he mumbled. He looked at Gabriel and gave him an apologetic shrug.

‘If you do, then I’m gonna want a train ticket or a ride on a stage coach,’ Gabriel quietly replied.

Dean shook his head as he stood. ‘No, it’s not gonna come to that. I’m just…’ He sighed and glanced at his wrist—Castiel was well ahead of them, and there would be no catching up to him that day. ‘Frustrated. I don’t know what’s going on in his head, and I don’t know how I feel about him tamperin’ with rabbits just to leave an angry note that don’t make sense.’ He looked down at the rabbit in question, crossing his arms. He wasn’t sure if they should leave the jackalope or take it with them. One thing was for certain: he didn’t think he would be eating rabbit again for a while.

‘Jack happy. Jack alive. Stay alive. But Castee…smell not happy,’ Jack offered. ‘Miss mate?’

‘Then why’d he run off?!’

Jack hopped back in surprise. ‘Mate run. Want know you good mate. Want mate? Chase mate. Catch mate. Mate hit then run. Chase! Prove good for mate. Mate happy. Jump! Make family,’ he explained.

‘I think he wants you to go after Cas and prove you’re a good mate,’ Sam said teasingly.

‘And start a family,’ Gabriel added. ‘I’m no expert, but artificial wombs—’

‘Oh, my God. Shut up! Both of you!’ Dean ran his hand over his face in exasperation. ‘I can’t believe I’m getting relationship advice from a jackalope,’ he muttered as he turned away.

‘Thank you, Jack,’ Sam said, almost reaching out to stroke the rabbit, but thought better of it. ‘What are you planning to do, now?’

‘Live,’ Jack replied. ‘Make nice home?’

‘Great. Just, uh…stay away from humans, okay? Jackalopes aren’t exactly normal,’ Sam warned.

‘Jack smart. Jack safe.’

Sam nodded and looked up at Gabriel. ‘Waddya think?’

‘If he breeds, then we’ll just have a bunch of smart rabbits hopping around,’ Gabriel explained. ‘No talking.’

‘So…Cas did the same thing to him as the horse?’

‘Yeah. You can throw a microphone on anything, but that doesn’t mean it has the intelligence to say more than “hey”, and… Well, let’s just say that there’s a reason you don’t see a lot of animals talking,’ Gabriel replied. ‘Some Maddies are driven…mad by their experiments.’

‘Like you?’ Sam asked with a raised brow.

Gabriel clicked his tongue in annoyance and turned swiftly on his heel. ‘Tell your new friend goodbye, and let’s go!’

Sam laughed and looked back the rabbit—its head cocked to the side in confusion. ‘You stay safe, okay?’

‘Yes. That good mate. You safe. Goodbye!’ Jack said before hopping back into the safety of the bush.

‘We’ll see,’ Sam said quietly and headed back to the wagon. He smiled and shrugged as Dean gestured to the new horse. ‘When you feel better, you can ride ahead.’

Dean groaned as he pulled himself into the wagon and slammed the door shut.

‘What was that about?’ Benny asked as Dean collapsed beside him.

‘Cas made a talking jackalope,’ Dean mumbled into Benny’s shoulder.

‘Did you kill it?’

‘No,’ Dean said through his teeth. ‘Shouldn’t you be dead to the world? Go back to sleep.’

.-.-.-.-.

Castiel sighed happily as he sank into the freshly made bed. After a long day of riding, he felt he deserved a stay in the nicest hotel the town had to offer. He stared at the ceiling and contemplated staying long enough for the others to catch up.

‘ _We can’t just give up!_ ’ Leviathan insisted. ‘ _They won’t respect us. Just look at Gabriel. He thinks it’s a **joke** when we try to run away. Remember when we were twelve? He **laughed**_.’

Castiel sighed as he rolled onto his side. ‘I guess you’re right,’ he mumbled into the pillow. It was actually a little exhilarating—keeping a step ahead of Gabriel. He could do without having to ride a horse, though.

‘ _It’s **worth** it for the lead we have on them_ ,’ Leviathan said. ‘ _What’s the farthest they can travel in a day? Fifteen miles? Maybe a little more? Meg can **easily** put an entire **day** between us._ ’

‘But when do we stop? How will we know we made our point? Gabriel _must_ be worried by now. This is the longest we’ve been gone.’

Leviathan remained silent at the mention of Gabriel’s worry. He was certain that worry only extended to Castiel. All he wanted was for Gabriel to treat him like Castiel. He was Gabriel’s brother, too, but he was treated more like a parasite. He felt he was tolerated, but not really accepted.

‘He cares about you, too,’ Castiel said quietly. ‘You just don’t make it very easy for him to show it.’

‘ _Then why’s he wanna **fix** us?_ ’

Castiel winced and curled his knees to his chest.

‘ _He likes **you** better, but he doesn’t know he’d be losing **both** of us. He probably thinks that **I’d** be the only one to…leave._ ’

‘ _Dean_ likes you.’

Leviathan was about to argue that Castiel was still the favored of the pair, but couldn’t as Castiel reminded him of how enthusiastically Dean had taken him. ‘ _Yes… But I would still appreciate having a brother who thinks of me as…a brother_ ,’ he eventually said.

‘I don’t think running away will do that.’

‘ _We’re running away from **Dean**._ ’

‘Are you sure? Because, now, I’m not so certain,’ Castiel said as he sat up. ‘This seems more like an excuse to distance ourselves from Gabriel.’

‘ _Then both._ ’

‘This is stupid. _We’re_ being stupid.’

‘ _So you **want** to sit here **and** wait for Gabriel and Dean to catch up and **berate** us for our stupidity?_ ’

Castiel shook his head. ‘No.’

‘ _Then we keep moving. Just fast enough to stay out of reach. If Dean **has** figured out some of the, ah, **tricks** up his sleeve, then all the better._ ’

‘I’m beginning to question—’

‘ _Are you afraid he’ll **punish** us? Turn us in?_ ’

‘Well…’

‘ _Tie us up to keep us from running…off…again…_ ’

Castiel blinked as both his and Leviathan’s thoughts ground to halt and synced up. ‘We leave before sunrise.’

‘ _Agreed. We should buy some rope for when he catches up._ ’

 


	10. Chapter 10

The night had come and gone, and the nomadic wagon was being pulled steadily along the road. Inside, Dean sat across from Benny, his arms crossed and a worried frown marring his face.

‘Are you sure?’ Dean asked quietly.

‘That’s what he said. Before you scared him off,’ Benny replied, biting back a yawn. ‘Stands to reason he used the same stuff on the rabbit as he did the horse.’

Dean nodded and glared at the front wall. ‘Right… So he’s got some way of boostin’ an animal’s intelligence… Animals are bad enough, but what if he starts using this crap on humans?’

‘Maybe Gabriel knows what was used,’ Benny replied. ‘Just be careful how you ask.’

Dean sighed, not taking his eyes from the closed window. How was he supposed to ask without sounding accusatory? He needed to find out if they had to worry about roaming experiments being left behind by Castiel—like a trail of mechanized breadcrumbs that had the potential of mauling unsuspecting travellers. He narrowed eyes, promising never to voice that particular thought around Castiel and Leviathan, lest they get an idea.

‘I’m gonna… I’m gonna risk it. If it’s that easy for him to alter people, then I gotta know,’ he said as he stood.

He opened the window and reached out to tap Gabriel’s shoulder. ‘Hey, Gabe.’

Gabriel looked up, his expression a mixture of wariness and hope. ‘Are you ready for that pick-me-up?’ he asked.

‘No,’ Dean sternly replied before voicing his concerns. ‘How’s Cas makin’ animals smarter?’

Gabriel shifted uncomfortably and looked away, putting all his attention on the screwdriver he held. He twirled it between his fingers as he tried to come up with the best way to word the answers for the inevitable questions that would follow. ‘Erm…’

‘I know it’s an injection, but how easy is it for him to mix up a batch?’

‘He…could probably get away with about a pint of…it…every two months,’ Gabriel quietly replied. ‘But it only takes about five to fifteen milliliters.’

‘Dammit…’ Dean shared a concerned look with Sam. ‘And what about humans? Same deal?’

Gabriel spun around, kneeling on the seat to face Dean more easily. ‘No! He would _never_ do that!’ he shouted. ‘Who knows what the results would be with such a pure sample?!’

‘Sample?’ Sam repeated. ‘Sample of what?’

Gabriel stared at Sam with wide eyes, and his mouth snapped shut. ‘Nothing.’

‘Gabriel, we’re trying to help,’ Sam said as kindly as he could, casting a pleading look to Dean.

Dean sighed and nodded in agreement. ‘The more we know, the better we can help. And the less likely we’ll be to accuse him of somethin’ he didn’t do.’ He silently added that it would make it easier to recognise when Castiel _did_ do something. If artists and some criminals had signatures, then how would a Maddy ‘sign’ their work?

‘He… It’s not… He’s not responsible for…’ Gabriel shook as he tripped over his words. ‘You can’t blame him for what Azazel did!’ he said in a panic. ‘He’s a victim! Just like those kids!’

‘Gabriel…’ Sam touched Gabriel’s shoulder, and the Maddy shrank away. ‘Is he using what Azazel used on those children?’

Gabriel swallowed and quickly shook his head. He noticed that the wagon had stopped moving. He could probably jump off and snag the horse he had bought, but what then? He didn’t know exactly where Castiel was, and he would only have what was currently in his pockets. So far, Sam and Dean had been reasonable—a bit quick to judge, but still willing to listen to reason and reconsider their stance. He would just have to trust them not to overreact.

‘Not exactly,’ he said quietly. ‘It’s… What he’s using is a pure sample. What Azazel used is… It’s a manufactured version. And from what little I’ve seen of his research, it’s been corrupted with magic. Granted, he seems to have gotten it close to…right with the later batches of kids.’

‘Got it right?’ Sam repeated. ‘He destroyed those children’s lives!’

‘Well, you don’t hear about the later kids, do you? No one tearing out their eyes or eating their own intestines! I’d call that as close to right as you’re gonna get,’ Gabriel argued.

‘So how did Cas get a pure sample of the Nova Serum?’ Sam asked. His eyes widened just as the words left his mouth. ‘Oh, my God,’ he whispered.

Gabriel flinched and slumped down, cringing away from Sam. ‘Not a very creative name, huh?’ he mumbled, forcing a smile.

‘The blacks veins… It was _his_ blood!’ Sam said in realization. ‘That’s why you found Cas barely alive. Azazel took every last drop he could, then he found a way to make more.’

Gabriel nodded silently. ‘He found a way to separate the Madness from the Darkness… And Cas was pretty Dark to start with,’ he said. ‘He used magic to do it. The other bodies I found with Cas had the same sigil carved into them. He was the only one still alive…’

‘But that’s based on a banishment spell,’ Dean said.

‘Banishes Cas for a little bit, doesn’t it?’ Gabriel replied with a shrug.

‘This is why you get edgy whenever someone mentions Azazel’s special children,’ Sam said. He lightly stroked Gabriel’s shoulder and felt some of the tension in Gabriel ease. ‘It’s not your fault. And not Cas’s, either.’

Gabriel nodded. ‘ _I_ know that, but not everyone else is gonna see it that way. Cas… Leviathan… Their blood is what Azazel derived his new research from. The effects are kinda hit or miss.’

‘And temporary,’ Sam added.

Gabriel glanced up at Sam sadly. ‘I don’t think so. Those kids mighta stopped showin’ signs, but…’ He let out a weary sigh. ‘Cas’s animals are permanently changed. And the kids that went crazy? They mighta gotten better for a time, but they’re all locked up again. Or dead.’

Sam breathed in slowly and looked at Dean in worry.

Dean grimaced as he held Sam’s gaze. ‘Just the early ones, right?’ he asked carefully. ‘You said Azazel managed to get it right, near the end.’

Gabriel shrugged as he picked at his screwdriver. ‘They’re the only ones you ever hear about. Don’t know what the later kids would end up doing. Don’t really know what Azazel was trying for, anyway.’

Sam nodded his head to Gabriel, raising his brows in question.

Dean shook his head, then relented with a sigh at Sam’s pleading stare. ‘Fine. Whatever,’ he grumbled.

‘Azazel was trying to manufacture dark Maddies,’ Sam said, closely watching for Gabriel’s reaction.

Gabriel nodded as he recalled all the notes he had seen. ‘Yeah. That’s makes sense. How did you figure…’ He trailed off as he looked over to Sam. Sam had pulled off his coat and was currently rolling up a sleeve. He swallowed as a smattering of pale dots were revealed all along Sam’s upper arm. He hadn’t noticed them before, but in the bright sunlight, the tiny scars jumped right out. ‘Oh. Oh… I-I have to go.’

‘Gabriel! Wait!’ Sam called out just as the Maddy leapt off the seat and hurried around to the side of the wagon. ‘I don’t…blame you or Cas,’ he said, sighing in frustration. He glanced up at Dean, who rolled his eyes.

‘Yeah, yeah. I’ll get—’

‘I’m still here,’ Gabriel interrupted grudgingly as he climbed back up to his spot next to Sam. ‘Do you want me to keep this from Cas?’ he asked without looking at Sam.

‘What?’

‘He’ll be curious. I know _I_ am, but I’m not the one that’ll want blood samples to look at. He’ll probably pester you for a skin sample from the injection site,’ he explained.

‘Could he…fix it?’ Sam asked slowly.

‘You don’t need fixing!’ Dean insisted.

‘Fix what? You’re perfectly normal. Emphasis on the “perfect”.’ Gabriel looked at Sam from the corner of his eye and chanced a small smile. To his relief, Sam returned the smile. ‘So, uh…if you don’t mind me asking… What happened? What did the serum do to you?’

Sam looked at Dean, who shrugged. ‘It… I couldn’t think straight. Nothing was…simple anymore,’ he explained. ‘I wanted to take things apart. Machines, clocks…animals. Azazel gave us access to some basic stuff and a lot of rats. It was…I don’t wanna say “fun”, but we were completely enthralled with learning everything we could.’

Gabriel nodded as he listened. ‘Sounds like the Madness. You still get the urges?’ he asked quietly.

‘No. It all went away. And then I started spending time around you,’ Sam replied. ‘No urges. No need to see what makes things tick. Just… Now, I understand. I understand what you’re making and how you’re making it,’ he said, pointing to a cylinder that lay between them.

Gabriel stared at the cylinder in silence before licking his lips. ‘So you knew what it was like to have the Madness, and you still went after Maddies,’ he said bitterly. ‘I wouldn’t trust your food being left alone around me for at least a week.’

‘Gabriel… The ones we went after… They stood out. They caused trouble. They weren’t in their—’

‘Weren’t in their _what_? Their right mind? _Non compos mentis_?’ he bit out viciously. ‘Do you have _any_ idea what it’s like pretending to be normal? How hard it is for some of us? It builds up, Sam! If I didn’t tinker all the Goddamned time, I woulda snapped already. I’ve come pretty damned close, but Cas has kept me sane. And it’s getting harder and harder every _hour_ that he’s not here. I know you’ve noticed!’ He slumped back, crossing his arms and pointedly looking away from Sam. ‘So you know what it’s like having the Madness. Fine. Do you know what it’s like pretending you _don’t_? What would it’ve been like if Azazel didn’t provide you with toys? No rats or whatever to play with? What then? Would you have started cutting into your playmates? _Yourself_?’

‘Gabriel—’

‘I don’t wanna talk to you right now,’ Gabriel said as he slipped off the bench to the ground. He picked up his discarded screwdriver and cylinder, still refusing to look at Sam. ‘I’m not leaving. I’m just going inside.’

Gabriel disappeared around the side of the wagon, and the window behind Sam slammed shut a moment later. Sam leaned his head back, wondering if there had been a better way to break the news to Gabriel. He looked over as Dean took the reins from his hand.

‘Benny thinks Gabe’ll be his normal, obnoxious self in no time,’ Dean said. ‘I’m actually impressed that he removed himself from the situation. Speaks volumes.’

‘Yeah. I get it. He’s trying. I remember… I remember how blinded I’d get if someone took away whatever I was working on. We’d all get irrational over little things,’ Sam replied. ‘After that… I thought that state of mind was just a constant for them. No way of controlling it. I wonder how many we turned in were just having a small tantrum…’

‘The Maddies we turned in had been having their “tantrums” for more than just a couple days,’ Dean argued.

‘We were gonna turn in Gabe and Cas on our way out,’ Sam said quietly.

‘And judgin’ by the way they handle themselves, I think they coulda weaseled their way outta that just fine. How many towns have we told the local sheriff that there were some suspicious signs around a store or house? How many times did we hear back that it was a false alarm and thanks for your concern? How many “clueless” shop owners thought some symbol or other would make their sign look fancy?’ Dean rattled off. It happened too often for it to be a coincidence, but he hadn’t really thought about it before—not when he hadn’t met a Maddy that wasn’t completely off their rocker.

‘I guess. Somethin’ Gabe said about the percentages… There are a lot more Maddies out there than we thought.’

‘And a lot of ‘em can probably pass as eccentric. ‘Specially if they have money,’ Dean added as he looked over at the horse Gabriel had bought.

‘Those first days with Gabriel… I had no clue he was a Maddy. Thought he was just…evasive because of his brother,’ Sam admitted.

‘Then I wouldn’t worry about it. He’ll get over it and come ‘round. ‘Sides, we’re headin’ west. We’re all gonna have to adjust.’

‘So you think Gabe’s right about the Territories being more…accepting?’

Dean sighed and shook his head. ‘I don’t think they have much of a choice. Winter’s hard enough as it is. You got a Mad Scientist that can rig up an entire town with heat, and all they want in return is fingernail clippings? I think a lot of people would reconsider their prejudices.’

‘Kinda like you, huh?’ Sam said with a sly smile.

‘I’m still very prejudiced,’ Dean insisted.

‘Reminds me of how you eased off vampires after…’

‘Things change when you see it from the other side. Not sayin’ they’re all angels, but… I’ll admit I was wrong.’

.-.-.-.-.

It was a week later when Castiel found himself on the side of a well-traveled dirt road, staring at a large barn. He had seen plenty of barns before, but never one that had been painted in chartreuse. There were cows in the pasture, and a quaint farmhouse was a little farther down the road.

He was eventually able to tear his gaze away from barn to look up the road in worry. In the distance, he could just make out the outline of a town nestled in the foothills of the mountain range that lay ahead.

‘Where are we?’ he mumbled.

Meg shook her head and whinnied in response.

‘I guess we’ll just have to find out,’ Castiel said as he patted Meg’s shoulder. ‘I don’t think anyone is going ask any questions here, so we can just head on into town. We’ll stop if I see a sign that says anything different.’

As they closed in on the town, Castiel picked up the reins and held them loosely in one hand—the other still tightly gripping the saddle horn. There were no signs warning Maddies to be cautious. No carved symbols on fenceposts. No trees or flowers planted in any specific order.

They reached the edge of the town, but there was still no indication of whether or not Maddies were unwelcome. Castiel felt on edge as Meg carried him down the main street. A few townspeople would stop and watch him before turning to each other to speak in hushed voices.

‘ _They’re going to lull us into a false sense of security then kill us! They’ll experiment on us! This is one of those crazy cult towns. I just know it!_ ’

Castiel tried not to flinch as Leviathan’s voice echoed through his head. He looked around, hoping to find a general store or another outlet for supplies. ‘An apothecary!’ he exclaimed in an excited whisper.

He nudged at Meg’s neck and quietly asked her to head to the storefront. He slipped off the saddle and placed the reins over a wooden bar in front of the store. ‘I’ll take the bridle off right after we leave town,’ he promised.

Meg tapped the ground with her hoof and tried to give Castiel a nod to hurry along. She was grateful that the one thing the human could actually learn quickly was how to bridle and saddle a horse. He had only needed to watch a stableboy remove and replace them once and was quite capable of doing it himself quickly and easily. Mounting and dismounting, however, still left something to be desired.

The inside of the shop was empty. From the back, a voice promised to be right out. Glass and ceramic jars filled the many locked cabinets and shelves that lined the store walls. A closer look proved that the clientele ranged from normal humans, witches, and even Maddies.

Castiel wanted to feel relieved, but Leviathan’s voice kept whispering that it could all be an elaborate ruse. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time someone had tried that tactic. He heard the shuffling of someone coming to the front of the store, and he grabbed a glass jar that held a floating pair of human ears growing from a fleshy mound at the bottom.

‘What can I help you with, stranger?’ the man asked, voice laced in suspicion.

He hoped Gabriel’s ploy of playing an idiot would garner the answers he wanted without giving himself away. He turned to face the man, holding up the jar. ‘What’s this fo— Balthazar?!’

Balthazar stared at the newcomer, his shotgun raised and ready. Word traveled quickly in the town—especially when the locals thought someone had come to claim a bounty on their resident Maddy. He had been warned of a dark-haired man in a tan duster. He had been expecting a hardened man, bent on claiming a quick reward, not a confused young man with messy brown hair and familiar blue eyes.

‘Ca… Castiel? God, you’re alive!’ He lowered the gun and took a step forward. ‘When they said Azazel got you…’

Castiel looked down as he fiddled with the jar he held. ‘I barely survived,’ he said quietly. ‘I would have died if Gabriel hadn’t found me when he did.’

‘So he’s here, too?’ Balthazar asked with a slight smile. ‘Keeping an eye on _you_ , huh?’

‘Actually, no,’ Castiel replied. He looked back up and frowned at the apprehensive look Balthazar was giving him.

‘Are you on the run?’

‘What? No!’

Balthazar caught the quiver in Castiel’s voice and narrowed his eyes. ‘Don’t lie to me, Castiel,’ he warned. ‘And don’t give me a reason to run you outta town.’

‘I’m avoiding Gabriel,’ Castiel admitted. ‘It’s...complicated.’

‘I understand,’ Balthazar said. He moved his finger to rest on the trigger, uncertain of how Castiel was going to behave. ‘How are you feeling?’

‘I feel all right,’ Castiel replied. ‘Tired from the ride, but that is to be expected.’

‘Not looking to do anything… _special_ with those ears?’ Balthazar asked, nodding to the jar Castiel held.

Castiel looked down at the ears. ‘No. They aren’t exactly high quality. I prefer mechanized replacement parts. Quicker to make and easily replaceable if something goes wrong,’ he explained as he set the jar back where he had found it. His thoughts went to Dean and the prosthetic he had made for him. He had expected Dean to have caught up by now. Maybe Dean still hadn’t figured out the enchanted jewel.

‘You sure?’ Balthazar pressed. ‘Thing is, the last time I saw you, you were elbow deep in the lungs of a corpse, going on about how you needed a large fish to fit them in.’

Castiel could vaguely recall being in such a position. A lot of blood and dead bodies. The need to rip into each one and find that one special piece to complete an experiment. The thought would have excited him once—Leviathan certainly perked up at the memory. Now, all he could see were flaws in his methods. There had been no control—only a desire to pull things to pieces in the messiest way possible before finding a new way to reassemble them.

He shrugged indifferently. ‘There are better ways to create a terrestrial fish than…’ He trailed off as he looked back at Balthazar and caught the wary stare. ‘I’m not…’

‘ _He thinks you’re a **threat**!_ ’ Leviathan screeched indignantly.

‘Well, _we_ are,’ Castiel mumbled.

‘ _In **that** case, kill him. We have a knife. One quick swipe to the carotid, and he’ll feel **justified** in his suspicions. You’ll be doing him a favor, really_.’

Castiel sighed in annoyance.

‘Who are you talking to?’ Balthazar asked carefully.

Castiel’s eyes widened as Leviathan went silent. ‘I didn’t come away from Azazel completely unscathed,’ he said slowly as he took a step back.

‘What did he do to you?’

‘I-I’m still me,’ Castiel said. He brought his hands up in surrender as the gun was pointed at his head again. ‘I mean… I’m…’

Leviathan knocked the gun away and glared at Balthazar. ‘I don’t appreciate such infantile weapons being directed at me!’ He glanced to the side and back as Castiel reprimanded him. ‘Shut up. The man’s a lush. The last time we saw him, he could barely suture a wound. I highly doubt he can shoot straight.’

‘ _That_ was actually because I was never trained in surgery, not because of my preference of beverage, thank you!’ Balthazar shot back. He quickly took in the black veins that traced up the sides of Castiel’s neck and face. ‘And who the hell are _you_ , anyway?’

‘ _I_ am Leviathan.’

Balthazar warily eyed Castiel. He had been wondering if Castiel had really changed from the last time he had seen the younger Maddy, but now… He recognized the smug look and the holier-than-thou glint in Castiel’s eye. The little boy who had so many ideas of how to make the world ‘better’ was definitely standing in the middle of his shop. The grin was new, though. ‘No… _You’re_ Castiel,’ he said. ‘So, what… Azazel managed to suppress you or something? Make a more complacent slave, and this is you rebelling?’

Leviathan tilted his head to the side as he regarded Balthazar. ‘You’re the first to assume I’m the original personality,’ he said as his grin slipped. Even though he shared memories with Castiel from the time before the change, he had never really thought of himself as being Castiel—and no one had ever treated him as if he were, either. He didn’t know if he should be flattered or afraid.

‘Probably because this is what I remember you acting like,’ Balthazar replied. ‘Am I gonna have to kill you or run you out of town?’

Leviathan shook his head distractedly. ‘No, I’ll be out of your hair soon enough.’

‘Are you _really_ running from your brother?’ Balthazar asked as he moved to stand behind the counter. He felt a little better with the counter between them, but he certainly didn’t trust Castiel not to jump over it and throttle him.

‘Just far enough to make them _work_ for it.’

‘Them? Them who?’

‘Gabriel and Dean.’

‘And who’s Dean?’ Balthazar pressed.

‘My lover,’ Leviathan proudly replied. He faltered as Castiel reminded him that their relationship was currently up in the air. ‘There was a bit of a, ah… _misunderstanding_ , so I took it upon myself to leave. I inadvertently gave him the tools to find me, so he should be catching up anytime now. At least…I hope so. I’ll find somewhere good to stop and set a trap, regardless.’

‘A trap,’ Balthazar repeated. From the gleeful way Leviathan spoke, he assumed Dean was probably the sort to enjoy a good chase. At least, that’s what he hoped was going on.

‘Mm, yes. Castiel thinks it’s going too far, but I think Dean would enjoy the challenge,’ Leviathan explained. His smile widened as Balthazar set the shotgun on the counter. ‘He’s a hunter, you know. Had his sweet, little heart set on turning us in until we won him over.’

‘That’s great. Wait. Hunter as in _Maddy_ bounty hunter?!’ Balthazar slammed his hands on the counter. ‘You’ve brought a Maddy hunter down on me?!’

‘He hunts other things, too. Dean Winchester. Of the Winchester Brothers.’

‘You’re sleeping with a bloody _Winchester_?!’ Balthazar could not believe what he was hearing. Castiel, of all people, was not only sleeping with the enemy, but one of the more famous and successful bounty hunters out there.

‘Not at the moment,’ Leviathan glumly admitted.

‘You know what I mean!’ Balthazar shouted in frustration. He blinked as the black veins faded and Leviathan’s annoyed frown dropped.

‘I’m sorry. Leviathan gets…excited over Dean,’ Castiel said, blushing.

‘And _you_ don’t?’

‘Oh, I do…’ He coughed self-consciously and looked away.

‘So what is it with you? Are you…you? Is, uh, Leviathan you? Which is the real Cas?’ Balthazar asked. He had seen cases of a split personality. He had even seen a few people that had been given half a brain from another person. None of those instances included the black veins or the ease with which Castiel and Leviathan traded off.

‘We both are,’ Castiel said quietly. ‘Although, I am the dominant personality.’

‘What happened to you?’ Balthazar asked, shaking his head.

‘I… Azazel split me. He separated the Madness from the Darkness. I am the Madness, and Leviathan—’

‘Is the Darkness. That’s why he seems more like the you I know,’ Balthazar finished. ‘Gotta say… If _this_ is the new you, then you’re probably better off.’

Castiel nodded as Leviathan grumbled in the back of his mind. ‘Is there somewhere I can stay the night? And possibly a place to perform a procedure on the horse that brought me here?’

‘What kind of procedure?’

‘Nothing terrible,’ Castiel hurried to promise. ‘I already explained it to her, and she’s consented.’

‘The _horse_ consented?’

Castiel bit his lip and looked away from the disbelieving stare. ‘Certain circumstances may have led her to having higher cognitive capabilities when compared to the rest of her species...’

‘Do I even _want_ to know?’

‘Probably not.’

Balthazar sighed wearily as he set his shotgun on the counter. ‘Right. Guess you should follow me, then.’ He turned and looked to the open doorway leading to the back. ‘Andy! It’s all clear!’ he called out.

A sloppily dressed, young man poked his head out. He was clutching an axe to his chest as he looked between the two Maddies. ‘You sure about that, boss? He seems a bit shifty, to me.’

‘He’s…all right, I guess,’ Balthazar said eventually. ‘Castiel, Andy. Andy, Castiel,’ he said, waving a hand between the two. ‘Andy’s my assistant.’

‘You’re training the next generation?’ Castiel asked. He raised a brow as Andy sniggered. ‘Or do you mean “assistant” in the way Gabriel would mean?’

Andy coughed mid-laughed and violently shook his head. ‘No! I’m not that kind of—! I’m a… I have the Insight,’ he said defensively.

‘The what?’

Balthazar sighed heavily, shaking his head. ‘One of Azazel’s so-called “Special Children”,’ he explained. ‘They catch on quick, and can parrot what’s been taught. Maddy without the, uh…Maddy bit.’

Castiel’s expression went blank as he stared at Andy’s carefree smile. ‘Oh. And how is that working out for you?’ He tried not to let Leviathan’s panic seep into him.

‘ _He’s going to kill us in our sleep! He’ll want revenge!_ ’

‘Pretty well, now that I don’t get the nightmares anymore,’ Andy easily replied.

‘I’m in a similar situation,’ Castiel carefully said. ‘Fortunately, I don’t sleep much.’

‘Great. Now that you two have met, I can show Cas the lab,’ Balthazar said as he slapped Andy’s shoulder. ‘Hold down the fort for a while.’

Castiel followed Balthazar into the back of the shop and out a backdoor. They crossed the narrow alley and entered another building.

‘Will this work?’ Balthazar asked as he flipped a switch by the door.

Overhead lights flickered to life, and Castiel looked around, taking in the clean surfaces of surgical tables and wash basins. He nodded as he walked up to a large cabinet with a glass door and opened it. Cool air hit him and he smiled as he poked through the jars resting inside. ‘This is perfect,’ he said quietly, closing the cabinet and turning to face Balthazar. ‘Although, I can’t see you performing surgeries.’

Balthazar shrugged and waved at the wall behind him—it was lined with a wide selection of tools. ‘ _I_ don’t, but our doctor does, and we got a Maddy a few miles out that comes in about once a month to handle things that require more than a simple mixture,’ he explained.

‘Would they happen to live at that farm just east of town?’ Castiel asked.

‘No… That, uh…’ Balthazar laughed softly as he scratched at his nose. ‘That was _my_ fault. Farmer’s wife had a difficult pregnancy, and I mixed her up something to ease it. Side effect was a compulsion to paint the barn. But, hey! The twins were born healthy, so it’s all good.’

Castiel nodded doubtfully as Gabriel’s warnings to not stand out streamed through his mind. ‘And you haven’t had any trouble?’

Balthazar shook his head. ‘Not yet. We get Maddies through here all the time, and they’re easy to convince to contribute to fixing things up for a free night in the hotel. That’s why we have electricity and _hot_ running water through most of the town,’ he said proudly. ‘Any bounty hunters come through, and… Let’s just say they don’t last long before either the townspeople run ‘em out or they suffer an unfortunate accident.’

He leaned against the wall as he watched Castiel move around the room, touching and examining everything. Black veins raced up Castiel’s neck as he opened a drawer full of surgical tools, and Balthazar stiffened. He wondered just how much control Castiel had over himself.

The only two people that could control the Castiel he knew had been Gabriel and the brothers’ mother. And, now, she was dead, and Gabriel was nowhere nearby. If he could keep Castiel in town for a few days (just enough to buy Gabriel some time to catch up), then he would rest easy knowing that there was one less power-hungry Maddy running around without a keeper. Or, at the very least, Gabriel could confirm that Castiel could be trusted to be on his own.

Balthazar pushed off the wall and moved to stand next to Leviathan. ‘You mentioned mechanical replacements earlier,’ he said, drawing Leviathan’s attention. ‘Think you’d be able to give someone a new leg tomorrow?’

Leviathan thinned his lips as he struggled to keep his eyes on Balthazar and not on the shiny scalpels in the draw. ‘I suppose… But I really _should_ be—’

‘It’s just that he’s on his fifth replacement, and each time it’s going necrotic sooner,’ Balthazar continued. ‘The Maddy I told you about has been grafting on old limbs. Latest one was grown from scratch for the man, but it went the same way.’

Castiel took over and nodded eagerly. ‘He probably waited too long to have the limb initially replaced,’ he said quickly, already formulating plans. ‘Is it the whole leg? Would he be okay with losing it up to the hip?’

‘As long as it works and doesn’t need to be replaced in a year.’

‘Here, I’ll get to work on Meg, and you bring him over for a consultation. Give me about…five hours to finish with Meg. I’ll have to take measurements before I make the prosthetic,’ Castiel said, brushing past Balthazar.

Balthazar smiled as he nodded. ‘I’ll get right to it,’ he said. He breathed a sigh of relief as the door shut behind Castiel. ‘Now I just need to find a few more things to keep him busy.’


	11. Chapter 11

Dean glared at the trailer that Gabriel had hitched up to the back of the wagon five days ago. A loud banging was coming from within—each ‘bang’ set his eye twitching. He narrowed his eyes as the sounds stopped and Gabriel stepped out. ‘For someone who wants us to catch up with Cas so bad, you sure were eager to add on some extra weight,’ he said.

Gabriel rubbed his hands on his thighs, leaving dark oil stains. He looked up at the darkening sky and wondered if he had it in himself to work through the night. ‘That’s why I added that small engine,’ he said, pointing to the front wheels of the trailer. ‘Does just enough to keep it from being a burden.’

‘Right… Is whatever you’re working on part of your silent treatment with Sam?’

‘No, it’s just something to get us moving faster,’ Gabriel replied defensively. ‘Since you insist on recovering from your blood loss the old fashioned way. You haven’t been losing even _more_ , have you?’

Dean rolled his eyes and turned away, shaking his head in annoyance.

‘I only ask ‘cuz it sounded like you were having a little too much fun the other night, and you made this noise like you were in pain,’ Gabriel continued as he followed Dean along the side of the wagon. He paused when he caught sight of Sam tending to the horses and quickly looked away when Sam looked up.

‘ _That_ was a different noise,’ Dean ground out angrily.

‘Oh. So you like to take it and give it? Cas likes a bit of variety. Speaking of Cas, you should hurry up and _go get him_!’

Dean lifted his wrist and tapped through the readouts. ‘Look, he’s keeping a steady pace, and he…’ He frowned and shook his wrist. ‘He…’

‘What’s wrong?’ Gabriel grabbed Dean’s hand and leaned in close, staring at the numbers. ‘What am I looking at? What’s wrong?’

‘He hasn’t moved since this afternoon. He usually calls it a day around sunset—about two hours before at the earliest.’

‘You mean he’s staying put? He’s stopped running?’ Gabriel looked up at Dean, a small smile forming. ‘This is _great_!’

‘Unless he was arrested,’ Dean said quietly.

Gabriel dropped Dean’s hand and stared at him in shock. ‘No,’ he whispered hoarsely.

‘I’m sure he’ll be fine,’ Sam said reassuringly as he joined them. ‘He’s managed to make it this far without incident.’

Gabriel made an irritated grunt. He knew Sam was trying to comfort him, and he desperately wanted to accept it, but the anger and resentment he felt wouldn’t allow it. He was stupidly, irrationally angry. He knew it. It was why he threw himself into his current project in hopes of distracting himself back to some semblance of sanity. He sighed heavily as he picked at the grime that had collected around his nails. ‘Thank you,’ he forced out before turning away. He needed more time to himself before dinner.

Mealtimes during the past week had been spent in awkward silence. Gabriel had taken to pulling out his collection of questionable spices and extracts, mixing up various concoctions as he glared at Sam and muttered to himself. Each time he finished a new potion, either Dean or Benny would gently take the small bottle from him. Gabriel never argued and even began meeting them halfway.

Except this time. This time, Gabriel clutched the small vial of light violet liquid tightly in his hand, holding it protectively against his chest. His eyes flicked over to Dean’s outstretched hand and up the false arm to meet Dean’s expectant gaze. ‘He deserves it,’ he growled petulantly.

‘He’s apologized a hundred times over. He feels bad. We both do, okay? Gabriel, this has gotta stop,’ Dean said patiently, surprised at himself for not snapping. ‘There’s no changin’ the past.’

‘Just accept it and move on,’ Gabriel said with a sigh. ‘I know. I _know_!’ he cried out in frustration. He looked at Sam and shook his head sadly. ‘I’m trying. Really, I am.’

Sam nodded as he remained silent.

‘You say you remember what it’s like, but… You don’t _understand_. You might remember the…the need with the Madness and the urges to…to…’ Gabriel trailed off as he cast his eyes downward, staring at the vial in his hand.

‘The urge to feel wet, warm blood on your hands,’ Sam finished.

Gabriel swallowed and nodded, refusing to look up and see the other three men giving him the inevitable disgusted looks. ‘I’m not dark enough to actually act on it, but the fantasies are pretty graphic. Me, I just wanna… I wanna make you…’ He held up the vial and stared at it as the light from the campfire glinted off the glass. ‘I want you to remember exactly what it was like. Like it was yesterday.’

He turned his gaze to Sam and was relieved to see there was no hatred—just an open expression, willing to listen. ‘This would make you relive your time with Azazel,’ he said. ‘Every want. Every fear. Every thought. You were just a kid then, and I think the problem is that you don’t really remember. You don’t really understand. I live with this every single day. I don’t have years between my last…my last need for a fix. I get minutes. When I’m really lucky, a day. At most. If I don’t act on it, I get squirrely. Worse than what you’ve already seen. You think it’s uncontrollable, but it’s not. I can ignore the urges, but going through…withdrawal is hard, and it doesn’t stop. I’m one of the lucky ones. I can just make an intricate watch, and no one would notice I have the Madness. Others? They _don’t_ have that luxury.’

Sam stood and made his way around the campfire to kneel in front of Gabriel. ‘So I drink that, and you’ll forgive me?’ he asked quietly.

‘I won’t need to forgive you,’ Gabriel replied. ‘You’ll _understand_.’

Nodding, Sam took the small vial and twisted it between his fingers, watching as the liquid seemed to glitter in the light. ‘Guess I’ll be having interesting dreams tonight…’

‘Better than the time loop where Dean dies a couple hundred times. That one, I’m saving for when you _really_ piss me off,’ Gabriel said with a half-smile.

‘You can make people dream about specific scenarios?’ Dean said doubtfully. ‘Digging up memories, I buy. But _that_?’

‘The human brain is easy to manipulate,’ Gabriel said haughtily. ‘I can have you thinking you’re a tree.’

Dean’s eyes flicked to Sam in amusement. ‘Wouldn’t mind seeing that, actually…’

‘Not so bad until your leaves won’t fall, so you go looking for a knife to start cutting them off. Goodbye, fingers. Or worse. What if you had termites? You’d go and scratch yourself to death.’

‘Never mind. Have you ever done that?’ Dean asked, narrowing his eyes.

Gabriel ducked his head and began fretting over his cuffs. ‘Well, uh… Cas reattached the guy’s fingers… And he’s kinda afraid of beavers and axes now, but other than that, he’s fine. And, uh, I did make a guy think a gator ate him. Died with his head stuffed in a log. He woulda lived, but I had no idea he had such a weak heart,’ he explained. ‘Never outright killed a person. Just…gave them reason to do it themselves. And there’s no… _physical_ lasting damage?’ He coughed self-consciously, suddenly aware that he was probably losing any support he might have had.

‘You just scare ‘em to death,’ Dean muttered.

Gabriel nodded and quickly spared Sam a glance. ‘Don’t worry… I wouldn’t go so far as to make you jump out a window,’ he said, hoping it came off as reassuring.

Sam frowned at the menacing tone to Gabriel’s voice. ‘Right. So…’ He sighed as he stood and pocketed the vial. ‘Anything I should know before I take it? Any sleepwalking?’

‘You won’t be able to wake up until you run through it all,’ Gabriel replied. ‘Depending on how long you were there, it could take up to a few hours.’

.-.-.-.-.

Castiel screwed a long, twisted horn into place at the center of Meg’s forehead. After a moment of staring, he lightly ran his finger along the stitched skin surrounding the horn and smiled to himself. A voice broke through his thoughts, and he looked up to find Balthazar staring down at him.

‘So which you is the tacky you?’

Castiel frowned as he stood and moved away from Meg’s sleeping form. ‘Tacky?’

‘A unicorn? A _talking_ unicorn?’ Balthazar said, gesturing to the horse. ‘Well, at least she’s a nice brown and not white.’

‘The area around the alicorn will turn white. I thought she would look nice with a basic star marking,’ Castiel mumbled as he washed his hands in a sink. He refused to look up as Balthazar joined him, and he could sense the other man’s grin. ‘Did you need something?’ he asked irritatedly.

‘Got Jim waiting for you,’ Balthazar replied. Castiel stared at him blankly, so he elaborated. ‘The man you’re gonna make a new leg for?’

‘Oh. Yes. Of course...’ Castiel dried his hands as he ducked his head. He had completely forgotten about his deal with Balthazar. ‘Show him in. I’ll get the callipers.’

Balthazar leaned in and tightly gripped the back of Castiel’s neck. ‘First thing’s first,’ he said lowly as Castiel stiffened under his hold. ‘Don’t you dare put any magitech in his leg, or else I will personally beat you over the head with it until your brother has to put you back together. Are we clear?’

Castiel quickly glanced at Balthazar. He was met by a friendly smile—the only trace of the threat was the hand on the back of his neck. He nodded stiffly, and Balthazar released his hold. He watched warily as Balthazar left to show in a limping man.

An hour later and Jim was hobbling out of the lab on his wooden crutch, smiling happily at the prospect of having a new leg that wouldn’t quit on him by rotting off.

‘It was a decent job,’ Castiel said after the man left. He stuck his pencil behind his ear and looked over his notes, frowning at Leviathan’s scrawls. ‘Mid-thigh attachment was a bit unconventional, though… Especially without using all of the original bone.’ His frown deepened, and he tilted his head to the side. ‘I don’t think he needs to store a dagger in his calf. Or a shotgun in his thigh.’

‘I don’t think so, either,’ Balthazar agreed. ‘Still improving things, huh?’

Castiel retrieved his pencil and crossed out half of Leviathan’s notes. ‘It’s not needed, and he hasn’t done anything to earn it,’ he muttered.

‘ _Very well_ ,’ Leviathan relented. ‘ _I still believe infusing the joint with a—_ ’

‘This may take longer than I had intended,’ Castiel said as he turned to look at Balthazar.

‘Take as long as you need.’

Castiel looked over at Meg’s still-sleeping form and chewed his lip in thought. He wanted to stay put for at least a little while for her recovery. Working on a new prosthetic and getting his hands soaked in warm blood… Leviathan cooed delightfully in his head. Maybe a few other townsfolk needed help as well. ‘I suppose Meg could use a little more time for her recuperation...’

Balthazar slapped his hand across Castiel’s back and smiled broadly. Now, all he had to do was find enough little projects to keep the other Maddy busy until someone came to collect him—and keep him well away from the magitech. The horse was bad enough, and he was not looking forward to finding out just what Castiel had done to her. ‘Great. Andy’s got some dinner started, and I think it’s about time I showed you where you’re staying,’ he said as he moved toward the door.

Castiel remained by the sink and let his gaze run over the lab. ‘I’d rather stay with Meg…if it’s all the same to you,’ he said hesitantly. ‘I’ll need to make adjustments, and I’ll be fine with just a cot in the…’ He trailed off as his eyes met Balthazar’s and he sighed at the stern stare. ‘You’re not letting me out of your sight.’

Balthazar grinned and waved for Castiel to follow.

‘I’ll still need to check in on her,’ he mumbled. ‘And she’ll need a place nearby to stay.’

‘If she’ll stay put and won’t terrorize the chickens, then we can have her stay behind the house when she wakes up.’ Balthazar held the door open for Castiel and waited, watching closely as the other held an internal conversation.

‘You don’t trust me,’ Castiel pointed out, still refusing to move.

‘Course not!’ Balthazar said laughingly. ‘Can you blame me? You’d just as soon stab me in the back as hug me.’

‘ _At least he’s honest about it_ ,’ Leviathan grumbled grudgingly as Castiel nodded.

‘It’s disturbing to watch you talk to yourself,’ Baltazar said offhandedly as he turned back to the door and held it open as he waited. ‘C’mon.’

Castiel moved through the open door with a small sigh. He wasn’t sure if he preferred Balthazar’s easy admission to wanting to keep an eye on him or Gabriel’s surreptitious hovering. The openness was nice—and a bit of an ego-stroke for Leviathan—but Castiel did appreciate Gabriel’s attempts at bringing him some form of attempted normalcy.

‘We’re having chicken of some sort,’ Balthazar said, clasping a hand on Castiel’s shoulder and guiding him through the alley. ‘Word of advice: if there’s a sauce, go easy on it. Andy’s not a Maddy, but he _is_ a mischievous little thing, and you may end up so relaxed that you’ll be next to comatose and willing to do whatever he asks.’

‘He… He’s going to drug me?’ Castiel asked uncertainly, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

‘He thinks he’s helping,’ Balthazar said with a shrug. ‘Not so much a problem when you’re expecting it—I even look forward to it sometimes!’

‘Nothing hallucinogenic?’

Balthazar shuddered and quickly denied it. ‘He’s a good kid. Just thinks everyone needs to be more relaxed. His _brother_ was the one that…’ He trailed off, shaking his head ruefully. ‘Doesn’t matter, now. It’s all in the past, and there’s nothing to worry about. Andy’s harmless, but if he wants to borrow something, you’ll have a hard time saying “no” to him.’

‘I highly doubt that,’ Leviathan grumbled, glaring at Balthazar’s hand on his shoulder. He stumbled as they reached the steps to a porch and was hauled up before he hit the ground. Grunting in annoyance, he shook off Balthazar’s hold.

‘So which Cas is joining us for dinner tonight?’ Balthazar asked. ‘You might be a bit much for Andy to handle. He’s more accustomed to Maddies that aren’t so dark.’

‘If what you say is true, then _I’ll_ be the dinner guest,’ Leviathan ground out. His eyes narrowed as Balthazar patiently waited for an explanation. ‘I’m less prone to mind altering drugs, and we still have to check on Meg after.’

Balthazar nodded in understanding. ‘Makes sense. And another reason to assume you’re not the original Cas—or at least not the dominant personality. But don’t worry. You’ll always be _my_ original Cas,’ he said as he reached up and lightly ruffled Leviathan’s hair.

Leviathan stared at Balthazar in bewilderment and didn’t fight it when his elbow was lightly grasped and he was led inside the small, two-storey house.

.-.-.-.-.

Sam awoke with a gasp, drenched in a cold sweat. He fumbled about in the dark, desperately searching for where the matches were kept. There was a soft click, and bright light filled the small interior of the wagon. He blinked against the light and squinted at the figure that sat in the corner. ‘Gabriel?’

‘How ya’ feeling?’ Gabriel asked as he turned a knob on the lamp beside him. The light dimmed, and he crossed his arms as he watched Sam.

Sam dropped his eyes to his hands, relieved to see them looking normal and clean—covered only by a slight sheen of sweat. ‘I-I… Better. Normal.’ He winced and closed his eyes in regret. ‘I mean—’

‘I know what you mean,’ Gabriel quietly replied.

‘Gabriel, I’m sorry. I’m so… I thought…’ Sam trailed off and licked his lips, gathering his thoughts. ‘All I could remember was not being able to control it. I never tried. I just thought…it was a constant state for you. God, how hard it would get… There were times it was easier… Like when the other kids and I were a little happier, and it wasn’t so bad. When we met you, I thought it was just less…less…’

‘That there were Maddies that weren’t as affected by the Madness?’

Sam nodded.

‘Well, that’s sorta true. The Madness is easier to deal with than the Darkness,’ Gabriel explained as he stood and crossed the small distance between him and Sam. ‘It’s not the same thing. I’m halvsies, so I have my moments. As you’ve seen. Darker mood means I’m more susceptible.’

‘So Cas…’

‘Just makes bad decisions,’ Gabriel quickly cut in as he sat next to Sam. ‘It happens. He’s in control…most of the time. But, uh, with additional input? Although… I guess it’s a fair tradeoff to have Cas’s input with Chompy. Like you found out, he’s pretty easy when he’s happy, so this whole... _thing_ he has going with Dean and Benny could be really good for him when he gets his head straightened.’’

‘None of this really makes me feel better,’ Sam said with a heavy sigh, running his hand through his hair.

‘Imagine how _I_ feel. Don’t think you ever had to deal with the paranoia.’ Gabriel paused and wrung his hands together, stopping when Sam gently took one in his own. ‘Wondering if you’re being too weird. Not blending in. Eccentric doesn’t always work as an excuse.’

‘Toward the end… It was a paranoia of not being weird _enough_. We saw what happened to…’ Sam broke off in a shudder. ‘Lily was only six. She was the first that the injections stopped working on. He… God, he just ripped her open, trying to find out what went wrong. She was still…she was still alive…awake, and… At first, I knew how to put her back together, and then it…it just stopped. All I could do was stand there, frozen. I watched her die, too afraid of what would happen if Azazel found out. What if the next injection didn’t work?’

‘How old were you?

‘Eight. I was there for a month before Dean found me. Azazel almost got him, too.’ Sam giggled nervously at the memory. ‘He was at the top of the stairs leading to the basement, and then… Azazel was right behind him. Dean didn’t see him, too focused on me. He took a step forward just as Azazel raised his knife, and… Dean fell down the stairs.’

‘Lucky.’

‘He sprained his ankle, but he was alive. He had a revolver shoved on his belt, and he managed to get a shot off at Azazel. It was enough to spook him, and we got away,’ Sam said, a soft smile appearing on his lips.

‘So Azazel knows you’re still alive,’ Gabriel said carefully.

‘Me and everyone else that was still alive when Dean got there,’ Sam replied. He shook his head and shrugged. ‘He’s never come after me or anyone else. Not that I know of.’

‘Yeah, he tends to leave his failures behind,’ Gabriel said with a nod. ‘Er, no offense.’

‘None taken. I’d rather be a forgotten failure. Wonder what’ll happen when he finds out that the serum wasn’t as temporary as he thought…’

‘ _If_ , Sammy. Try to be positive. I mean, can you even imagine what he’d do if he found out about Cas and Chompy?’ Gabriel asked, ending with a nervous laugh.

‘Especially if he found out about Leviathan’s _blood_ …’

‘I gotta find him, Sam,’ Gabriel whispered as leaned against Sam.

‘Dean’s heading out in the morning,’ Sam replied as he wrapped his arm around Gabriel’s shoulders. ‘Baby’s fast. Dean’ll catch up to Cas in no time.’

Gabriel nodded, letting out a soft sigh. ‘Sorry I’m such a brat. Been harder on you than I needed to be.’

‘I get it, now. Just… I dunno. Maybe try talking it out first next time,’ Sam said and rested his head atop Gabriel’s. ‘You smell like a foundry.’

Gabriel pulled away with a wide grin on his face. ‘You haven’t seen them yet! I made—’

‘It can wait until morning,’ Sam said firmly as he pulled Gabriel tightly to his chest. ‘I don’t know about you, but I’m dead tired.’

Gabriel let out a soft huff of annoyance, but let Sam pull him down onto the bedding. ‘But they can breath fire,’ he mumbled, stifling a snigger as he felt Sam tense next to him. ‘Only a little. Like a lighter.’

Sam chose to remain silent, not wanting to get into whatever a Maddy would classify as a lighter. With how fresh his own experience at being a pseudo-Maddy fresh in his mind, he had a pretty good idea.

.-.-.-.-.

Andy paced back and forth in Balthazar’s room, wringing his hands in worry. ‘I really don’t think we shoulda told him so much about the Insight,’ he said quietly. ‘Did you see the way he kept staring at me? He’s gonna cut me open in my sleep and steal my spleen!’

‘I think he’d be more interested in your brain,’ Balthazar said offhandedly as he stared out his window, watching Castiel interact with the horse. ‘He’s…calmer than I remember. Even the Leviathan side is tamer.’

‘You call _that_ tame?! He broke the plate!’

Balthazar shrugged apologetically. ‘And now we know that Dean Winchester is a touchy subject,’ he replied. ‘Moreso than Gabriel.’

‘I’m bolting my door and blocking it with the dresser,’ Andy said as he joined Balthazar by the window. He grimaced as he watched the horse nuzzle Castiel. ‘I don’t trust that horse, neither.’

‘It’s just until he gets collected,’ Balthazar insisted. ‘Just…don’t mention where Azazel is. I don’t know how he’d react.’

‘Worse than me, I’m sure,’ Andy muttered. He chewed his lower lip as he recalled his tantrum when word of Azazel’s whereabouts reached him. ‘If he’d be out to kill him, then maybe we can leave a little note for him to find when he leaves?’

‘I’d be more worried about him wanting to join Azazel, actually. Especially after he started questioning the Insight. Might be useful, but it’s not worth the risk,’ Balthazar said. He smiled and waved as Castiel looked up at the window. He frowned as the horse nudged Castiel before moving to lay down beneath a tree. ‘Still wanna know what he did to the horse. You can only boost intelligence so much.’

‘We’re locking him in the guest room, right? Please say we’re locking him in the guest room,’ Andy pleaded.

Balthazar nodded. ‘He’s agreed to it.’

‘You _told_ him?!’

‘Why not? He knows we don’t trust him, and if he wants any time to himself, it’s gonna be in a locked room with limited supplies.’

‘If I wake up dead, I’m blaming you,’ Andy grumbled as he left the room.

Balthazar sighed as he heard the scraping of furniture being dragged across the floor echoing through the house.

.-.-.-.-.

Castiel looked away as Balthazar waved at him through the window. ‘I just don’t know…’ He patted Meg’s neck, trying to distract himself.

‘We can leave right now. I’m good enough to outrun anything they might have,’ Meg prodded, her simulated voice drifting softly from a small speaker at the base of her horn. She was hoping to convince Castiel to leave that night. For a short time, she thought she had managed to convince Leviathan, but even that one was reluctant to leave. ‘Your friends’ll catch up soon enough. We can even head back. I know the way.’

‘It’s not just waiting for them. Balthazar is right. I’m pushing my luck with what I did. I overreacted and…’ He broke off with a heavy sigh. ‘I don’t know if he still wants me. I don’t even know if he’s following.’

‘Who wouldn’t want you? You’re… I guess you look all right for a human. Still ugly in the face, but you have nice eyes,’ Meg said. She looked Castiel over with a critical eye. ‘How do you mate? _Can_ you mate?’

Castiel blushed and turned away from Meg. ‘Can we talk about this later?’ he said desperately. ‘We’re staying until Dean gets here. Let Balthazar think it’s his idea.’

Meg snorted in annoyance then nudged her nose against Castiel’s shoulder. ‘Go on. Get some sleep. Just remember what I said about that one,’ she said before moving to the shelter of a nearby tree.

Castiel nodded and headed inside the house. Leviathan had been silent since Meg had awoken, listening and watching. Now, however, his thoughts were racing and colliding with Castiel’s, setting both of them on edge.

‘ _She said he’s hiding something_ ,’ Leviathan whispered. ‘ _What could it be?_ ’

Castiel remained silent as he ascended the stairs, meeting Balthazar on the landing. He tried to assure Leviathan that Meg was just a horse and had no insight into human behavior.

 _‘I don’t know… Animals have that sixth sense about these things_ ,’ Leviathan continued, almost afraid that Balthazar would be able to hear him.

'You okay with being in the back corner?' Balthazar asked as he followed Castiel up the stairs. 'Not the best view of your horse, but you can probably still make her out.'

'It will be adequate,' Castiel replied in a clipped tone.

'Got a couple tools and scrap to keep you entertained for a while,' Balthazar said, pushing the door to the guest room open.

Castiel stood in the doorway and sighed at the sight of his bags sitting on the edge of the small bed. It was obvious that someone had gone through his things. He could only imagine what had been confiscated.

Leviathan spun on his heel and glared at Balthazar. 'The next time you see fit to rummage through my personal possessions, I'll rummage through your small intestine,' he hissed before slamming the door.

Balthazar stared at the door for a moment before locking and bolting it. He listened intently until he heard the telltale squeak of a body landing heavily on the bed, followed by a muffled tirade. He let out a breath and moved down the hall to his own room, relieved that Castiel had reacted better than he thought he would.

After closing the door to his room, he paused before locking it. He glanced at his dresser and shook his head, laughing softly to himself. He readied himself for bed, throwing glances to the door every few minutes. It was after half an hour of staring at the ceiling that Balthazar dragged himself out of bed and pushed his dresser in front of his door.

 


	12. Chapter 12

Dean sighed wearily as he saddled Baby. It was just before sunrise, and he was only half awake. He had already bid Sam and Gabriel a sleep-deprived goodbye, and he was more than a little put off by how eager Gabriel wanted to inject him with ‘vitamins.’ Instead, he had managed to get away with a promise to take care of himself until he caught up with Castiel and to take at least one pill a day from the bottle that Gabriel had shoved in his hand.

‘You sure you’ll be okay on your own?’ Benny asked as he came up beside Dean and held out a tin cup filled with coffee.

Dean gratefully took the coffee and bit back a yawn. ‘I’ll be just dandy,’ he mumbled. He was questioning his sanity again. He was sleeping with a vampire ( _ again _ ) and about to chase after a Maddy—who may or may not react well upon being found.  _ And _ he was seriously considering taking the pills Gabriel had given him. ‘How do I get myself into these things?’ he asked, staring dismally into his cup.

Benny chuckled as he leaned into Dean. He pressed his nose against Dean’s neck and inhaled deeply. ‘ _ I’d _ say it was because you smell so good. And you’re a good person.’

‘Thanks. I guess,’ Dean mumbled in reply. He drank his coffee as he let Benny finish saddling Baby. ‘I’ll leave messages at the post office of each town I pass through. Let y’all know if Cas gets moving again and where I’m headed next.’

Benny nodded as he stroked Baby’s neck. ‘I’ll do my best to keep this lot out of trouble,’ he promised.

.-.-.-.-.

Balthazar awoke to the sound of a rooster crowing. He groaned as he sat up and looked around his room, frowning momentarily at his dresser in front of the door. He smiled to himself, shaking his head. He should probably let Castiel out of the guest room.

He got out of bed and looked down at the backyard. Castiel’s horse was roaming, nibbling at the grass, and Castiel  looked like he was talking to her. He turned away then tripped in an effort to return to the window to stare down at the other Maddy.

‘What am I thinking? Of course he’d be able to get out,’ he berated himself as his panic eased. He scratched at his head, yawning loudly as he moved to his wash basin and began washing his face. He dried off and stared at his reflection, brows furrowed. Slowly, he reached up to touch his neck and wiped away part of a dashed line that ran from one side to the other. He swallowed as he reexamined his dresser.

‘How the hell…?’

It wasn’t until later that he found one of the ladders had been moved, and he realized Castiel had come in through his window. He installed locks on all the windows that evening, much to Castiel and Leviathan's amusement.

.-.-.-.-.

A plume of smoke was rising from just off the road Dean was traveling. He had already passed through one town and was closing in on the next. He slowed Baby as he wondered whether or not he should bother checking on what was causing the smoke. He cursed to himself as he guided Baby off the road and toward the rising smoke, hoping it was just someone’s campfire that had gotten out of hand. As he drew closer, he could make out a small structure and two figures moving about it. It resembled the aeroplanes he had seen before, but it looked more high tech than the normal, propellered biplanes he was familiar with. It lacked a propeller, for one. The two people turned out to be women—one was dressed in what Dean assumed was current high fashion, and the other wore plain work clothes covered in grease and grime. He took a quick look around and found no signs of any other people.

Dean dropped to the ground and waved as he called out. ‘You two okay? I saw the smoke.’

The pair of women turned, and it was the young lady wearing the finery that spoke. ‘Just a small accident,’ she replied as she pulled on a pair of pale gloves. ‘Young Charlie here thought her creation had been completed, but there must have been a miscalculation somewhere. I am Gilda Fairchild. Of the New York Fairchilds.’ She stepped forward and offered her hand, frowning as Dean shook it.

‘Dean. You two been stuck here long?’

‘Went down this morning,’ Charlie replied. She waved a wrench around in the air. ‘We’re lucky this thing has some hovering capability! Woulda ended real bad, otherwise.’

‘Right. Need any help?’ Dean asked. He pushed Baby’s nose away as she nudged at his shoulder, and stilled when Gilda breathed in sharply.

‘Who made that?!’ Gilda demanded as she reached for Dean’s prosthetic arm. ‘Look at those lines! And that jewel… Oh, my God! Is that a readout screen?! What does it display?!’

Dean backed away as Charlie hurried to Gilda’s side and gently took her back a few steps.

‘But! No, Charlie! Love, please! I’ve never seen anything like that! How far up does it go?’

Charlie smiled worriedly at Dean. ‘S-sorry, she gets excited around tech she hasn’t seen before,’ she explained. ‘She’s registered, I swear. We have her papers in the plane. And I’m not a Maddy, I’m just her assistant. People make less trouble if they think it’s me. She doesn’t do experiments. She just makes aeroplanes and wing-packs. Right, Sweetie?’

Gilda sighed and nodded, not taking her eye off Dean’s exposed forearm. ‘I don’t make the wing-packs anymore. Government just takes them,’ she said bitterly. ‘What’s the point of making something beautiful if they’re just going to take it to one of their own Maddies and have it ruined by turning it into some kind of weapon?!’ She looked away and made a disgusted sound, crossing her arms. She took a few slow breaths before looking back at Dean with a kind smile. ‘May I see your arm? And how it’s attached?’

Dean glanced down at his arm and flexed his fingers, earning a longing sigh from Gilda. She seemed harmless enough, but so did Castiel in his better moments. ‘You can look, but don’t touch,’ he eventually said. ‘And make it quick. I gotta get moving.’

Gilda hopped up to Dean, bouncing excitedly on her toes as she watched Dean tug the sleeve up. ‘Oh, it goes up pretty far… Can you just take your shirt off?’

Dean raised a brow and glanced at Charlie, who rolled her eyes and shrugged. He sighed and grumbled as he pulled off his shirt.

Gilda wrung her hands together as she leaned in close. ‘Oh, I was expecting a different method for attachment,’ she muttered to herself. ‘But it looks new, so it’s probably temporary. Neuroports are a given with the fluidity of movement. Padded fingers and palms… And the readout…’

Charlie moved to stand beside Dean, watching as Gilda studied the prosthetic arm. ‘You seem to be taking this pretty well,’ she commented. ‘Meet a lot of Maddies?’

‘I’m travelling with two, and one’s run off because I said the wrong thing,’ he said bitterly. ‘On my way to fetch him right now.’

Charlie nodded and smirked. ‘They do that. Gilda goes back home whenever I tell her she’s just a spoiled city girl with no right to be traveling the countryside. I’m joking, of course. Just pointing out her naivete, but she takes it the wrong way every single time. I mean, what are you doing, Gildy? You’re not proving any points,’ she said with a laugh. ‘And definitely not when it’s the  _ fifth time _ !’

Dean laughed along and raised his brow when Gilda started turning his hand and running her fingers over his forearm. ‘What did I say about touching?’

Gilda looked up, astonished. ‘You can  _ feel _ that?!’

‘A little,’ Dean replied. ‘Goes between just pressure and actually feeling like my normal arm. Something to do with the healing.’

‘Oh, yes. Of course you can feel it. Given the magitech… Amazing… I only dabble, myself. Who made this? What did you do to get them to make this for you?  _ I _ wouldn’t make something remotely equivalent to this craftsmanship for just  _ any _ paying customer.’

Dean’s face heated up, and he coughed uncomfortably. ‘Me an’ Cas came to an agreement,’ he said eventually.

She glanced at Charlie and smirked. ‘Ah, yes. An… _ agreement _ would make  _ much _ more sense. Wait. Cas? As in Castiel? Castiel  _ Novak _ ?’

‘You know Cas?’ Dean asked suspiciously.

‘Only by name,’ Gilda replied. ‘I’ve met his brother, Gabriel. He makes the most beautiful clockwork toys. I have a few that I commissioned. Does this mean you know where they are? Can I commission another toy? I’d like a little hummingbird. Or another fairy.’

Dean eyed Gilda a moment before relenting. ‘Uh… If you sit out by the road, he should be along in about a day? A little more if you hoof it to the next town,’ Dean hesitantly replied. He hoped he wasn’t making a bad decision in telling her.

‘Perfect! I wonder how much he'll charge? Maybe I can barter with the plane,’ Gilda said to herself as she wandered back to the smoldering aircraft to rummage around her bags.

‘Now you've done it,’ Charlie said as she watched. ‘She's gonna waste half our money on a damned toy.’

Dean shrugged as he pulled his shirt back on. He turned to mount his horse and stopped as Charlie placed a hand on his shoulder.

‘You look really familiar. Are you…Dean  _ Winchester _ ?’ she asked. She took Dean's grim expression as her confirmation. ‘I was there. W-with Sam. You were more worried about him than anyone else, so I don't think you'd remember me, but… I just wanted to say thanks.’

‘You were one of those kids…’ Dean glanced over at Gilda and back to Charlie. ‘Have you noticed any…’

‘I’m her assistant for a reason,’ Charlie quietly confirmed. ‘Well, two reasons,’ she added with a grin.

‘So it’s just…’ Dean broke off with a sigh, wondering how to phrase his question. ‘Understanding? Sam’s started understanding Gabe’s inventions, but we don’t know if it’s gonna progress any further. Any…urges.’

‘Well… There’s a few of us out there. We’re calling it the Insight,’ she replied. ‘The longer we spend around a given Maddy, the more we conform to their special brand of Madness. I’m great with engines and aerodynamics, but put anything surgical in front me? Psh! Completely lost! And a little nauseous. I’d say you’ve got nothin’ to worry about. He might be able to make something—I can build an engine and a rudimentary guidance system, but that’s about it. Nothin’ like Gilda can make.’

Dean licked his lips and nodded. ‘Doesn’t make sense to me, but all right.’

‘Near as I can tell, the Madness has a mind of its own. It…can sorta evolve. It’s why kids’ll do a whole bunch of crap before settling on their own schtick.’

Dean immediately thought of Leviathan. ‘The Darkness evolves, too, I’m guessin’.’

Charlie shrugged helplessly. ‘None of the other kids I’ve met have turned dark, so I can’t say.’

‘I guess that’s good to know. Don’t need a new breed of crazy runnin’ around,’ Dean said as he mounted his horse.

Charlie laughed and rolled her eyes. ‘Oh, trust me. We’re our own brand of crazy. You don’t come away from that shit unscathed. Sure you know that with Sam.’

Dean stared ahead, watching Gilda pull at some cords hanging from the bottom of the small aircraft. ‘Well, we’re bounty hunters, so I don’t think I’d notice anything different. We each got our own issues, and Azazel’s just part of the whole shit pile.’

‘Yeah… A few of us were wonderin’ what was gonna happen when Sam started showin’ signs that something wasn’t quite right,’ Charlie said. ‘You guys’ve earned a name for yourselves. Not bad, but…not good, either. Not with our little circle.’

Dean scoffed. ‘Wonder what sort of rumors’ll start flying when word gets out ‘bout me ‘n’ Cas.’  _ And Benny _ , he silently added.

‘Maddies might be more trusting around you,’ Charlie replied. ‘More willing to help out. They don’t like Dark Maddies running around any more than you or me. It’s bad business on all sides.’

‘So…you said she’s registered?’ Dean asked as he looked over his shoulder at Gilda. ‘How’s that workin’ out?’

Charlie followed Dean’s gaze and sighed heavily. ‘Her family has enough money to keep her free and outta trouble, so she’s lucky. But…she makes stuff the government is interested in, and her family’s not rich  _ enough _ to keep them away. It’s why we go traveling so much.’ She growled in frustration and kicked at the dirt. ‘It’s bullshit, you know! If anyone should be registered for anything beyond existing, it’s shifters, but nooo!  _ They police themselves _ ,’ she said in annoyance. ‘What makes it so hard for Maddies to police themselves, too?’

They watched as Gilda giggled maniacally as she caused a small explosion, her face covered in smudges of grease.

‘Nevermind. But, still! Go after the bad apples, like any normal monster group,’ Charlie amended.

Dean nodded along. ‘But how the hell you gonna get  _ that _ revolution started?’

‘Get enough monsters and normal people on their side, and it won’t be that hard. All we need is for people to understand,’ she explained as if she had rehearsed it, and Dean had a feeling that she probably had. ‘People already have an inkling that Maddies are just like any other group, but they don’t have the power to back a push for rights. Too uninterested, too scattered, and not all of ‘em make anything that’d give ‘em that power.’

‘Yeah. Even the ones passin’ for normal probably wouldn’t be able to focus enough for the long haul,’ Dean agreed, thinking of Gabriel. The Maddy was passionate enough when it boiled down to it, but he was easily distracted.

‘They need help. They know it. They just need to  _ accept _ the help.’

‘Is that why there’s rumors that the Territories are more accepting of Maddies?’

Charlie grinned and winked. ‘Just a nice, friendly place with individuals willin’ to let a Maddy hang out for fixing up a well with some filtration or setting up an electric grid. People might be willin’ to return the favor with good publicity to the right folk.’

‘And what happens when they run into the wrong sort of Maddy?’ Dean asked. He couldn’t think that a run-in with Leviathan would end good for anyone.

Charlie shrugged. ‘Run outta town? Lynched?’

Dean spared a glance to his wrist. Would the jewel tell him if Castiel had died? What would he do then? ‘Right. Well, good luck to you two,’ he said. ‘Oh, if you two  _ are _ planning to wait for Gabriel, then can you pass on a message to Sam and Benny?’

‘Benny?’

‘Vampire travelling with us,’ Dean quickly responded. ‘Tell ‘em I’m sorry. They’ll know what I’m talking about.’

.-.-.-.-.

Gabriel’s contribution to the nomadic wagon had both Sam and Benny on edge. Even though Sam had looked over the pair of mechanical horses, he still couldn’t bring himself to trust them. The fact that they were each a dull black with fiery eyes didn’t help. They were the most menacing things he had seen—and he had seen some pretty scary-looking creations that could only be described as ‘murder-machines.’

‘At least they take commands,’ Benny said as he climbed into the driver’s seat and placed Gabriel’s electric lantern on the hook by his head.

‘I really think we should have picked up some paint in town,’ Sam said. ‘White or…yellow or pink. Just something to counteract…’ He waved at the silent monstrosities and jumped when one let out a belch of fire. ‘The least he could do is put in something to stop  _ that _ .’

Benny laughed as he patted Sam’s shoulder. ‘Get on in the back. I’ll wake you come sunrise.’

Sam nodded and left Benny alone in the driver’s seat.

Benny heard the two knocks against the wall behind him and made a sharp whistle. The mechanical horses’ eyes flared up, and they stuttered forward, slowly gaining momentum.

He leaned back and adjusted the cushions Gabriel had gotten for the seat. Opening his book, he settled back and prepared himself for an uneventful night. With fire-breathing horses, there weren’t many thieves that would be willing to try to rob them.

It was about three hours later when Benny noticed a campfire a ways ahead. He groaned when he realized that it had been built in the middle of the road. Before he could call out for the horses to slow down, they did so on their own, pausing a good thirty feet from the fire. Each turned it’s head to opposite sides of the road and slowly scanned toward the center. A snort of fire, and they edged toward the right side of the road.

‘What is… Oh, my God! Stop! Stop!!’ a woman cried out, jumping into the road in front of the horses.

Benny reached for the reins, but the horses stopped on their own just in front of the woman. They raised their heads, letting out a stream of fire. In the light, Benny could make out the woman’s excited smile. On the side of the road stood another woman—a gun in her hand and a wary frown on her face.

‘Greetings, good sir! I am Gilda Fairchild of the New York Fairchilds. Are you by chance traveling with Gabriel Novak? Of the Illinois Novaks?’ Gilda asked, maneuvering about the horses and touching every surface she could get her hands on. ‘Cool to the touch!’ she muttered. ‘He’s improved.’

Benny narrowed his eyes at Gilda. ‘I might be…’

Gilda hurried away from the horses and to the side of the wagon. She banged her hand on the side and yelled for Gabriel to come out.

Charlie sighed and walked towards the wagon, stopping near Benny. She stared up at him for a moment. ‘You must be Benny.’

Benny slowly nodded.

‘I’m Charlie, you’ve met Gilda. Dean was by earlier. Said you guys were gonna be along sometime tomorrow,’ she explained.

‘Woulda been, but we weren’t expecting those things,’ he replied, nodding to the horses. He glanced around the corner from where he was seated when he heard a loud commotion coming from the back of the wagon.

Charlie laughed nervously and looked away. ‘Dean left you a message, and I think I get what he meant by it. Uh… He’s sorry. Probably for dumping us off on you. He seemed like he was in a hurry.’

‘Get out! Get out! You perverted fairy-freak! No more fairies! Go away!’ Gabriel shouted.

‘But I have money! A lot of money! And you can help yourself to parts from my aeroplane!’

Benny and Charlie shared a look as silence took over.

Gabriel’s cautious voice drifted through the air. ‘What sort of parts?’

‘Right over here! We managed to bring most of it to the road. Help yourself!’ Gilda said as she led the way around the wagon and towards the campfire.

Gabriel followed and paused beside Charlie to look up at Benny. His hair was mussed, and he was wrapped in a blanket that slipped off his shoulder as he pointed up at Benny, revealing a trail of hickeys. ‘Don’t you say a word.’

Benny just raised a brow. ‘Not exactly in a position to judge,’ he replied with a toothy grin. He tugged his collar down to proudly show off a deep bite that was slowly healing over.

Gabriel sneered and rolled his eyes. He hurried after Gilda, muttering about how Castiel had the strangest luck.

Charlie watched as Gabriel joined Gilda, sighing as the pair of Maddies began bargaining. ‘She’s gonna hock the whole thing…’

‘Charlie?’

Charlie looked up at the sound of her name and smiled. ‘Sam! Glad to see you’re still alive and kickin’!’ She let her eyes drift over Sam’s bare chest, stopping just at the brim of his pants. ‘Gotta say… You grew up good. Not my type, but I  _ do _ approve.’

Sam blushed and cleared his throat. ‘Right… So, how are you? Never thought I’d see you, or anyone else, again.’ Ever since Gabriel’s confession, the fates of the other children had been on his mind more so than ever before.

Charlie shrugged indifferently. ‘Same ol’, same ol’,’ she replied. ‘Sorta keep in touch with a couple others. Those who’ve, uh…gained an assistant position, at least. Thought about reaching out to everyone else, too. Just to send them a little warning letter—let ‘em know they weren’t relapsing or going crazy if the Insight crept up on ‘em.’

Sam laughed softly and nodded. ‘Yeah, I can imagine. Wait.  _ Insight _ ?’

‘It’s what we’re calling it. What’s left of the injections.’

‘Huh. That’s…actually a good name for it.’

Charlie holstered her gun and crossed her arms, tilting her chin up with smugness. ‘Damn straight! It was  _ my _ idea. I was one of the early ones. Ran into Gilda over there in the woods outside her family’s mansion. I was trying to hunt, and she was trying to fly. Saw this big, black, monster flying at me. Ran away, but it was too fast, and bam! Total knock out. Woke up later in the softest bed I’d ever been in with the most gorgeous-lookin’ girl fretting over the cut on my head.’ She smiled as she looked over at Gilda. ‘Been together ever since. It was…good for me to see Maddies in a different light.’

Sam sighed and nodded, guilt eating at him. ‘Wish  _ I _ had that kind of experience. I’ve only been traveling with Gabe and Cas for a short time,’ he said quietly.

‘About Cas… Never met him myself,’ Charlie said. ‘I’ve only heard about him through Gabriel, and he’s vague at best. Changes the subject the moment he comes up.’

Sam bit his lip, wondering how much he should give away. ‘Does Gabriel know about you being one of Azazel’s Special Children?’

Charlie nodded. ‘Don’t see the point in lying about it. Some people feel sorry for ya’ if they know and give you a discount on stuff. I’m shameless. I know.’

‘Well… Cas also had a run-in with Azazel, so that’s probably it. He barely survived from what I understand,’ he explained.

‘That’s better than the stuff  _ I _ was imagining!’ Charlie said with a relieved laugh. ‘I kept thinking he was super-dark and crazy. That maybe Gabriel kept him under lock and key because he might get out and start mutilating people!’

Sam forced a smile. ‘He’s…different.’ He looked up in relief as Gabriel sauntered over, his blanket now tied about him like a toga.

‘We’re taking the junk pile and piling everyone in the back. And lucky you, Benny! Gilda wants to do a pint-for-a-pint trade!’

‘I’m seventy-five percent Madness,’ Gilda added.

Benny grinned down at Sam’s put upon look. ‘Do you and your brother make it a habit of takin’ in strays?’

Sam sighed heavily. ‘I guess we should pack you two up. How far are we taking you?’

‘I want to meet Castiel,’ Gilda said firmly. ‘If that arm of Dean’s was anything to go by, he could help me out with making an improved guidance system.’

Sam glanced at Gabriel, who shrugged carelessly in response.

‘If Cas wants to, let him. Whatever keeps him outta trouble.’ Gabriel shifted his gaze to Gilda. ‘But, uh, let me talk to him first. He’s shy around new people.’

.-.-.-.-.

Balthazar kept a close eye on Castiel, and every time the little black lines crept up the Maddy’s neck, it was Leviathan who would give him a smug grin while looking pointedly at Balthazar’s neck. At least the younger Maddy was useful. Already, word had spread through the town and nearby farms that a proper surgical Maddy was around. Balthazar used Castiel's newfound popularity to keep him too busy to cause any mischief.

Castiel's days were booked solid with appointments ranging from ingrown toenails to fixing an ox’s broken leg. During his nights, he worked on recreating parts of Dean's prosthetic arm. On his second night, he made a smaller version of the enchanted jewel from Dean's wrist. He had gutted his pocket watch and placed the jewel within.

‘ _ Dean is going to be  _ **_ecstatic_ ** _! This may even earn us  _ **_complete_ ** _ and total  _ **_servitude_ ** _! _ ’ Leviathan purred.

‘Don't you mean forgiveness?’ Castiel asked as he tapped through the readouts his newly improved pocket watch gave him.

‘ _ What's to forgive?  _ **_Technically_ ** _ , we did nothing wrong. Being impulsive is  _ **_not_ ** _ wrong. _ ’

‘He may not see it that way…’

‘ _ He  _ **_will_ ** _ when he sees he no longer needs the harness. _ ’

‘Which may be sooner than originally anticipated,’ Castiel said in quiet panic as he stared at his pocket watch. ‘He’ll be here by tomorrow night! Or sooner!’

Leviathan went silent, and Castiel could feel his own unease double with Leviathan’s.

‘ _ Perhaps we should give him his new arm over a cup of tea and a  _ **_slice_ ** _ of cake? _ ’

‘I don’t think he’d want to be conscious for the procedure.’

‘ _ Understandable, understandable. Very well. Let’s clean up the lab in preparation. We can still get a cake for celebration…or a peace offering. _ ’

Castiel nodded as he stood, shoving the watch into his pocket. ‘Then we drug the cake. Just as a precaution.’

Leviathan scoffed. ‘ **_I_ ** _ want cake, too. _ ’

‘I’ll think of something,’ Castiel muttered and headed to the door. He had earned himself a good name in the town. And he had done it all by himself. Balthazar only hovered over his shoulder when things promised to be particularly bloody. Even Leviathan had kept hidden, only surfacing when a patient was unconscious. He could use all this as evidence in his defense. He  _ didn’t _ need a babysitter. He  _ could _ survive on his own. He had proven his point and then some.

Feeling more confident, he picked up his tools and the parts for Dean’s arm and headed to Balthazar’s lab. Along the way, he stumbled as Leviathan pointed out that all his arguments for being self sufficient weren’t for Dean, but for Gabriel.

‘ _ Are we  _ **_still_ ** _ using Dean as our excuse? It’s  _ **_amazing_ ** _ how everyone thinks  _ **_you’re_ ** _ the honest one. How did Gabriel put it?  _ **_I’m_ ** _ the one that pushes you further? What  _ **_would_ ** _ he do if he knew you were  _ **_just_ ** _ as dark as— _ ’

‘Shut up.’

.-.-.-.-.

Dean checked his wrist as he passed a chartreuse-colored barn. Castiel was still in the town that lay ahead. Relief flooded him as he looked up the road. The sun was beginning to set, and he was looking forward to sleeping in actual bed. Whether or not he was alone in that bed was up to Castiel and what he had to say for himself.

He entered the town proper just as the street lights flickered to life. He frowned to himself as he looked around. The town didn’t seem big enough to warrant electricity or piped gas, but if there were Maddies running around… He swallowed as he guided Baby toward a hotel. Had he unwittingly rode into some sort of Maddy-town? Was Castiel safe? Was  _ he _ safe? Maybe he shouldn’t mention his name to anyone until he was certain.

Dean checked his wrist again and saw that Castiel was close by. ‘Might as well get this over with now,’ he said to himself as he dismounted. He draped Baby’s reins over the post in front of the hotel and pointed at it. ‘Stay.’

Baby snorted in response and walked over to a water trough.

He walked down the street, checking his wrist as he went. Reaching an alley, he turned and moved to the back roads and followed the signal until he reached a door leading into a plain building. He checked the readout on his again. Castiel was just on the other side of the door. He took a deep breath and pulled the door open. ‘Cas?’

Dean went down heavily, and Leviathan tossed the pipe he had used to the side. He grinned as he pulled out his pocket watch and tapped the glass a few times. ‘The others aren’t too far behind. A very steady pace… Gabriel must have done  _ something _ . Perfect!’

He put the watch away and bent down to drag Dean farther into the lab. ‘He’s heavier than I remember,’ he mumbled.

‘ _ I’m beginning to think this was a bad idea. Maybe we should have spoken to him  _ **_first_ ** ,’ Castiel said.

‘Nonsense! When he wakes up, he will be  _ overcome _ with gratitude,’ Leviathan said as he placed Dean onto a table. He removed Dean’s upper clothing then set to work on removing the harness and prosthetic arm. ‘Besides, you said yourself that he wouldn’t want to be  _ awake _ for the operation. I’m taking your advice.’

Castiel forced himself forward and took over, carefully placing the prosthetic on the table beside Dean. ‘I really believe we should speak with him first,’ he insisted. ‘ _ You _ might be able to get away with this behavior, but  _ I _ can’t. I’ll work on the arm until he wakes up, and then  _ you _ can justify the lump on his head.’

‘ **_Me_ ** _?! It was  _ **_your_ ** _ idea! _ ’

Castiel sighed and lightly stroked Dean’s hair. ‘We’ll discuss this later.’

‘ _ Very well. We’ll do it your way. For now. _ ’


	13. Chapter 13

Dean opened his eyes and immediately regretted it, clenching them shut against the bright light. He groaned quietly and tried to sit up, only to find himself trapped. He forced his eyes open and blinked against the light as he looked down at the broad leather straps holding him down to the table. His prosthetic arm was missing, and his wrist was being held by another strap. ‘What the hell…’

He began to struggle as cold panic settled over him. Was this why Castiel hadn’t moved on? Had someone captured him? Someone even more demented than Leviathan?

‘Oh, you’re up!’ Leviathan said delightedly as he entered Dean’s line of vision.

Dean frowned and relaxed minutely. ‘Leviathan? You're okay! What the hell’s going on here?!’ he demanded, pulling against the restraints.

‘Just a precaution, I assure you. Castiel thinks the pipe might’ve been a  _ bit _ much, but I like to be certain. Cake?’ Leviathan held up a bite-sized piece of cake on a fork.

‘Let me go,’ Dean growled.

Leviathan looked from Dean to the fork before setting it on a plate resting on another table. ‘I don’t believe that would be a good idea,’ he said slowly. ‘I don’t know what you’re going to do.’

‘I’m gonna strangle you if you don’t let me go! Dammit! Lemme talk to Cas!’

Leviathan laughed nervously and paced around the table. He trailed his fingers down the length of Dean’s leg as he passed and pulled them away when Dean began to struggle again. ‘I can’t… _ do _ that right now,’ he eventually said. ‘Are you sure you don’t want any cake? It’s for you. As a celebration! We’ve made improvements to your arm. You won’t need the harness any longer once I perform the surgery. We can do it right now, if you’d like.’

Dean glared at Leviathan. ‘Let me talk to Cas,’ he said evenly. He frowned in confusion as Leviathan wrung his hands together, his eyes darting back and forth as he made small sounds of distress. He sighed and tried to speak more calmly. ‘Leviathan? What’s going on?’

‘I  _ can’t _ ! He’s asleep!’ Leviathan shouted, slamming his palms on the table between Dean’s feet. ‘It was  _ supposed _ to be for fifteen minutes. It’s been  _ fifty _ ! After the first ten, I thought it would be prudent to restrain you. Just in case. Because you like him best.  _ Everyone _ likes  _ him _ best,’ he said, his voice fluctuating between calm and panicked. ‘We’ve been working without sleep for three days, switching back and forth. We’re…running a little  _ thin _ .’

‘Okay, look. I never said Cas was my favorite. He’s easier to talk to, yeah, but… How about this: I get off the table, and you take a nap,’ Dean said carefully. ‘We can talk about my arm once you’ve had some rest.’

Leviathan studied Dean for a few seconds before nodding sharply. He began to loosen the buckle to a strap holding one of Dean’s ankles in place, but stopped. ‘Do you promise not to throttle me? Only…you  _ just _ threatened to.’ He drummed his fingers on the strap as he watched Dean’s head drop back against the table, slowly shaking back and forth. ‘Is that a “no”?’

‘No, it’s an “I can’t believe you’re that stupid,” but then I remember that you’re a Maddy, and it makes perfect fucking sense,’ Dean spat. ‘Let me up, and I promise not to hurt you.’ He sighed as Leviathan made quick work of the restraints and sat up when the one across his chest was pulled free. He swung his legs over the side of the table and stared at Leviathan.

Leviathan shrank away as Dean waved him over. He took a step closer, and Dean patted the table beside him. He eyed the empty space.

‘Not gonna strangle you. I just wanna talk.’

He hopped onto the table and sat as close to Dean as he dared. ‘So… Ow!’ He fell forward and stumbled across the floor. He spun around to stare at Dean accusingly as he rubbed the back of his head where Dean had slapped him. ‘You just said—’

‘Said I wasn’t gonna hurt you.  _ Really _ hurt you. A hit upside the head? That, I think you’ve  _ more _ than earned, and if you think  _ real _ hard and long about it, you’d agree. Don’t you feel even a  _ little _ guilty or stupid for what you pulled? And don’t you dare try to claim that you don’t understand. Cas ain’t playing conscience for the both of you. There might be a line separating you two, but it’s thin and fuzzy, so don’t use that as an excuse for your behavior—for  _ both _ your behavior. You’re not the scapegoat anymore,’ Dean said, finishing in a softer tone.

Leviathan swallowed and reached for Castiel’s consciousness, but it remained unresponsive. He hadn’t been prepared for this, and he didn’t like having to deal with new situations on his own.

‘Well? What do you have to say for yourself, Leviathan? And keep in mind, Cas has answer for himself, too.’

Leviathan eyed Dean warily. His first thought was that it was a trap. Without Castiel’s input, he only had his own skills to rely on, and people skills were not his best. ‘You told us to leave,’ he replied uncertainly.

‘Did I?’

‘Maybe not. But you  _ did _ agree,’ Leviathan said quietly, looking away. ‘We…stopped. After a while. After it became apparent that we made a…a  _ mistake _ ,’ he admitted. He fidgeted with the hem of his shirt and tried to look anywhere but at Dean. He could easily take the flak for his and Castiel’s mistakes, but he had always done so with the air of someone who never apologized. Under Dean’s watchful gaze, however… This was different than the yelling he was accustomed to receiving.

‘But you didn’t stop for long, did you?’ Dean prompted.

‘No. Meg appeared, and it was…an opportunity. Gabriel doesn’t respect us! Doesn't respect  _ me _ ! Gabriel—!’ Leviathan broke off in a frustrated growl.

Dean let out a long sigh because picking what he hope would cause less of a reaction. ‘Who’s Meg?’ he asked with a hint of suspicion, hoping she wasn’t someone Castiel and Leviathan were getting too attached to.

‘She’s a horse,’ Leviathan replied with a dismissive wave.

‘That sheriff’s horse?’ Dean asked, his brows shooting up in surprise.

Leviathan paused, recalling that Meg was the spark that had started everything. ‘Yes. Is…that still a problem? Have we moved on from that?  _ I _ have.’

Dean took a long breath and stared up at the ceiling for a few moments. ‘As long as no one comes looking for her, no. But the next time you get it in your head to do something like that, run it past someone first. Preferably me or Sam.’

‘I suppose we could do that. Although, the impulse to…hm… _ react _ is strong,’ Leviathan said haughtily. ‘Does…Gabriel hate me?’

‘No.’ Dean shook his head, recalling how worked up Gabriel had been. ‘No, he’s worried about you.’

‘You mean he’s worried about  _ Castiel _ ,’ he grumbled.

‘He’s worried about  _ both _ of you. He actually thinks you’re better off like this. Said you were way off the deep end as a kid,’ Dean said, watching Leviathan for a reaction. ‘Do you…remember much from before you were…you?’

‘The only memories that are  _ specifically _ mine or his, are in times like this,’ Leviathan replied, gesturing at his head in annoyance. ‘We share the memories of being a child, but Castiel’s recollection comes more easily. Back then…things  _ were _ muddier.  _ Restraint _ was never a consideration. Whether or not that was due to age is up for debate.’ He licked his lips as he rubbed his arm self-consciously. ‘He…likes us the way we are? He  _ doesn’t _ want to…to  _ fix _ us?  _ Me _ ?’ Leviathan asked uncertainly.

‘No, he doesn’t wanna fix you,’ Dean replied with a smile. ‘Smack you? Probably. But who doesn’t?’

‘And what about you? Do  _ you _ hate us? Do you hate…me?’ he asked, a small grin pulling at his lips as he leaned closer.

Dean rolled his eyes. ‘I don’t hate you, but I do think you’re brat. You  _ and _ Cas. I think the two of you have gotten a little too comfortable with putting all the blame on just you. How about you let Cas take the blame for what he’s responsible for from now on?’ He paused and searched Leviathan’s eyes. ‘So…who’s bright idea was it to leave?’

‘Castiel’s.  _ I _ thought…we should set an ambush…string you up and switch your left nipple with your navel. Or maybe just take your  _ legs _ until you  _ begged _ to have them back,’ Leviathan gleefully replied.

‘What?’ Dean leaned back.

‘I’d put them back, and there wouldn’t be any scarring!’ Leviathan quickly explained.  _ He _ had thought it went without saying, but, apparently, Dean didn’t. ‘Castiel thought the  _ non _ -violent approach was better.  _ Mine _ would have been quicker, but I could see the benefits to Castiel's as well. So we took it further than normal when the opportunity presented itself—or  _ herself _ I should say.’

‘Draw it out and make everyone worry about you?’ Dean asked.

‘ _ No _ . We…  _ I _ wanted to prove that we're not a joke! That  _ I’m _ not a joke! We’re not…  _ I’m _ not  _ completely _ irrational. We’ve done well here! We’re respected! Even Balthazar has stopped his  _ constant hovering _ . Even  _ after _ I proved I could kill him in his sleep.’ Leviathan hoisted himself back onto the table beside Dean and leaned against him, resting his head on Dean’s shoulder. ‘We’ve done  _ well _ .  _ I’ve _ done well,’ he tiredly insisted.

‘So you’re doing good for yourself. That’s…good?’

Leviathan nodded. ‘This whole, ah… _ fiasco _ could have been avoided if Gabriel had just said he liked us the way we are,’ he mumbled. ‘Or, at least, we wouldn’t have gone as far. Maybe. I  _ do _ like the idea of the dashing bounty hunter chasing down his quarry and…possibly… _ punishing _ him? Maybe a bit of rope?’

Dean swallowed at the images his mind came up with. ‘Later,’ he promised. ‘Guess this ain't too bad. If this is the worst you two—er, you and Gabe. You, Cas, and… Right. I can’t think in two-and-a-half people terms.’

‘Gabriel  _ is _ just a half a person,  _ isn’t _ he?’

Dean chuckled and wrapped his arm about Leviathan’s waist. ‘Anyway, if this is the worst you guys are capable of, then at least it’s all out in the open.’

‘Oh, I’m  _ capable _ of  _ much _ worse. As is Castiel. There are just disagreements as to how. Don’t tell him I told you,’ Leviathan said sleepily, ‘but we could easily take control of an entire town through their water supply.’ He was crashing fast, and was thankful that Dean didn’t seem angry with him anymore.

‘Not exactly an argument in your favor, y’know.’

Leviathan shrugged as he snuggled closer to Dean. ‘You wanted honesty, and you asked the right one.  _ Castiel _ is the one to look out for.’

Dean stared ahead and licked his lips as he slowly nodded. ‘I can actually see that… So what’s with the cake?’ He looked down when he received no response. He could just make out the veins fading away.

Carefully, he got off the table and lowered Castiel down. He took his newfound time and freedom to look around the lab. On a nearby counter space, surgical and mechanical tools alike were laid out and gleaming. Beside them was a schematic of his prosthetic arm. He looked around and found the arm lying on the table that held a half-eaten cake. He picked it up and looked at his stump and back to the arm. There was something different about it.

He walked back to the schematic and looked over the cross-section of where the prosthetic connected with his bone and stump. He couldn’t make out much, but it looked as if something was supposed to screw in somewhere. With a sigh, he set the arm back on the table by the cake. He wasn’t going to be able to attach it himself. He probably would have had trouble with the original design, too.

Dean startled as a loud knock echoed through the lab, followed by the rattling of a door handle. He hurried to the door, his foot kicking a discarded pipe along the way. He stooped down and picked it up before pressing himself against the wall beside the door.

‘Castiel! Leviathan! Whatever you’re calling yourself! Unlock this door!’ a voice called out, and the handle rattled again. ‘You know the rules. No locked lab and in bed by midnight. At least  _ pretend _ to follow the rules! There’s an issue, and I’m hoping you’re behind it.’

Dean glanced at Castiel’s sleeping form and back to the door. ‘Cas is indisposed at the moment. Can I take a message?’

There was a long stretch of silence followed by the sound of the door unlocking.

Dean stepped away from the wall, putting himself between Castiel and the door. He raised the pipe, ready to swing at the intruder.

The door opened, and Dean and Balthazar stared at each other in shock.

Dean was the first to recover, pointing his pipe accusingly at Balthazar. ‘I know you!’

Balthazar flinched and entered the lab, closing the door behind him. ‘Like I said before: I just sell things, I don’t make them,’ he said calmly, raising his open hands.

Dean narrowed his eyes. He had met Balthazar years before—a so-called clueless shop owner who sold curiosities alongside the normal wares of his apothecary. He had been friendly enough when Dean had originally run across him, going so far as to ask him and Sam to look over his entire stock to see what else he had unknowingly ‘acquired.’

Dean brought his arm back and let the pipe rest against his shoulder. ‘Uh-huh. And  _ I _ just hunt rabbits.’ He mentally winced at the reminder of ‘Jack.’

Balthazar quickly glanced past Dean and saw Castiel lying on a table. He looked back at Dean and ran his eyes over the man’s bare chest and missing arm. ‘What’s going on in here?’ he asked carefully. ‘You didn’t use that on Castiel, did you? Or…did you  _ have _ to?’

Dean scoffed as he rolled his eyes. There was more understanding than accusation in the other’s tone. ‘He used it on  _ me _ , actually. So I take it you and Cas are friendly?’

‘Friendly’s  _ one _ way of putting it,’ Balthazar replied. He quickly raised his hands at the raised brow Dean gave him. ‘We’re not killing each other, and I trust him not to terrorize the chickens, is what I mean. He said you turned over a new leaf… Not exactly a Maddy hunter anymore?’

‘Oh, I’m hunting a Maddy. And I seem to have found him,’ Dean said, indicating Castiel.

‘I see. And what are you planning to  _ do _ with him?’

‘Right now? Let him sleep.’ Dean looked over his shoulder at Castiel and smirked. ‘And maybe do the same thing he did to me. You wanna give me a hand with strapping him down?’

Balthazar made a frustrated groan and stared at the ceiling in thought. ‘If I do, then you do  _ not _ let him know I helped.’

.-.-.-.-.

Castiel slowly opened his eyes. He felt groggy and his mind was silent. He moved to sit up, but found himself bound to a hard surface. He breathed in sharply and desperately forced Leviathan awake as he tugged on his wrists. He looked around and found himself back in the depths of Azazel’s lab.

‘ _ I was having the most wonderful dream _ ,’ Leviathan griped. ‘ **_You weren’t in it_ ** _. _ ’

‘ _ Trapped! We’re trapped! It’s Azazel! He’s found us! _ ’ Castiel silently whimpered. He cringed as Leviathan took control.

Leviathan stared at the ceiling for a moment before looking down at himself. He still had all his clothes on, and he couldn’t feel any new wounds. As he glanced around, Castiel’s vision of Azazel’s lab faded. He saw Dean and Balthazar seated at a nearby table, silently playing cards and drinking. ‘I think we’ve been had,’ he muttered, dropping his head back with an annoyed sigh.

‘ _ I didn’t know this is what it would be like to be tied up! It’s too similar. You have to make it stop! Make it stop!! _ ’ Castiel screamed, causing Leviathan to wince.

‘I think being tied up with  _ rope _ would be different than straps,’ Leviathan mumbled. He fought to blink away Castiel’s panic-induced visions. He cleared his throat and spoke louder to the room in general. ‘If someone would be  _ so _ kind as to let me up,  _ I _ would be less inclined to  _ stab them in the eye with a syringe _ . Or someone could just drill a hole in  _ my _ head. Whichever makes him stop screaming first.’ He sighed when he heard a chair scrape against the floor and looked over. He caught Dean’s smug grin and narrowed his eyes. ‘ _ I _ might find this amusing, but Castiel does  _ not _ .’

Dean frowned as he approached the table. ‘Whaddya mean?’

‘Being strapped to this table is reminiscent of our…stay with Azazel, and Castiel is more in tune with those memories.’ Leviathan flinched away as Castiel’s vision replaced Dean with Azazel holding up scalpel. He chose to close his eyes instead of fighting the hallucinations.

Dean’s eyes widened, and he hurried to pull at the buckles holding Leviathan down. He cursed in frustration and looked over his shoulder. ‘A little help here?’

Balthazar looked up from their card game (and peeking at Dean’s hand) and dropped his cards on the table. ‘What’s the matter, Cas? Don’t like the taste of your own medicine?’

Leviathan winced again and struggled as he felt the phantom pains of the scalpel digging into his chest. ‘Just get me out.  _ Please _ ,’ he managed to ground out.

The moment he was able to sit up, Leviathan latched onto Dean, wrapping his arms tightly around Dean’s neck as Balthazar worked to free his legs. ‘It’s not real,’ he kept repeating in whispered murmurs.

Dean brought his arm around Leviathan and lightly stroked his back. ‘Hey, sorry about that. I didn’t think that’d happen. Shoulda known better, huh?’ he said softly. Leviathan’s voice shifted from reassuring to frantic, and Dean tightened his arm. ‘Cas? You gonna be okay?’

Castiel nodded stiffly against Dean’s shoulder. He took a shaky breath and reluctantly pulled away. ‘I’ll be fine. It was just…unexpected.’ He shivered and stared at Dean, letting every bit of misery he felt show. ‘I’m sorry,’ he whispered before looking down. ‘For running. It’s hard to—’

‘ _ He  _ **_knows_ ** ,’ Leviathan happily informed.

Castiel’s mouth snapped shut as dread pooled in his stomach. ‘I…see… Can you forgive our… _ my _ impulsive behavior?’

Dean sighed and roughed up Castiel’s hair. ‘Yeah, but you need to have a talk with your brother. Trust me, secrets between brothers lead to nothin’ but trouble,’ he said.

Castiel nodded solemnly and reluctantly met Dean’s eyes. He dropped them again to stare at Dean’s stump. ‘I should probably reattach your arm,’ he said quietly. ‘The hookup’s different now. More permanent. I can do a local anesthetic if you don’t want to be put under.’

Dean looked from Castiel to Balthazar and back. As disturbing as it would be to watch Castiel cut into him, he didn’t want to be unconscious around a Maddy he wasn’t particularly familiar with—which happened to include all of them. ‘Local’s good. I’ll hand you tools.’

His breath caught when Castiel looked up at him, eyes shining bright and a soft smile. Whatever he was about to go through would be worth it if he got to see that smile again. He silently cursed himself. He knew he was already head over heels for the mad scientist, but now he was completely gone with no hope of ever coming back.

.-.-.-.-.

The operation went quickly and easily, and Dean had a newfound respect for Maddy-produced anesthetics. He hadn’t felt a thing in his stump during the operation. Even when Leviathan was happily humming as he drilled into Dean’s humerus, he felt nothing. Just a soft vibration around his shoulder where the anesthetic’s effects stopped.

He had tried to look away when Leviathan cut into his arm along the partially healed lines, but curiosity got the best of him. His gaze would switch between his arm and watching Castiel and Leviathan work, each switching easily back and forth for different parts of the procedure.

Castiel inserted a threaded tube into Dean’s bone, sighing when it was fully inserted. ‘Having you conscious makes this so much easier,’ he said as he picked up Dean’s prosthetic. ‘I should have  _ all _ my patients be awake.’

‘Yeah… Don’t think they’d appreciate the humming from Lev,’ Dean replied.

Balthazar nodded, tossing Castiel’s discard tools into a sink. ‘It’s disturbing.’

Castiel thinned his lips at Leviathan’s indignant cries. ‘Duly noted.’

‘They’d have to know about him, too,’ Dean said carefully.

‘Of course. Not a good idea, then.’ Castiel sighed and handed the prosthetic to Dean. ‘Slip it on, elbow back, and it will do the rest.’

Dean held the arm and slipped it over his bone and bicep. He looked at Castiel when nothing happened. ‘Uh… Not to cause a stink, but…’

Castiel frowned and took the prosthetic back and looked over his notes spread across the table beside them. ‘I don’t understand.’

‘ _ Is he still  _ **_numb_ ** _? _ ’ Leviathan asked. ‘ _ Oh, we could have  _ **_fun_ ** _ with that… _ ’

Castiel flushed and smiled nervously at Dean. ‘The anesthetic.’

‘I’ve got it,’ Balthazar said as he grabbed a syringe from nearby.

Dean winced as Balthazar injected his arm and all feeling flooded back. ‘Fuck, that feels so weird,’ he grunted.

‘Try again,’ Castiel urged, handing back the prosthetic.

Dean sighed and tried slipping the prosthetic over his bicep once more. He made a strangled cry as the prosthetic screwed itself into his humerus and all the sensors clicked into alignment. He likened it to having his whole arm fall asleep and reawaken with double the pins and needles that was normal. He tried to flex his fingers, but they didn’t obey him very well. His fingers clawed and his spiked knuckles and tiny gun flipped out.

‘Sorry to break it to you, Cas, but I don’t think you fixed anything,’ he ground out.

Castiel smiled and patted Dean’s shoulder. ‘You just need to…walk it off, as it were. Like any other limb where the blood flow has returned,’ he smugly replied.

Dean gave Castiel a half-hearted glare as he tried wiggling his fingers and flexing his wrist. ‘Last I checked, ain’t no blood in this damned thing,’ he grumbled under his breath. ‘This didn’t happen last time.’

Castiel’s smile turned stiff. ‘Last time was a prototype. This time, the connectors have been refined, and the receptors on your arm replaced.’

‘Or weren’t you paying attention during the operation?’ Leviathan asked. ‘I added new receptors and replaced the old ones, and you didn’t think to ask  _ what _ I was doing?’ He scoffed and looked away, crossing his arms. ‘I could have… Wait. You…trust me enough  _ not _ to ask?’ He stared at Dean, dumbfounded.

‘Well, I trust you enough to not mess with me while I’m watching,’ Dean replied.

Leviathan stared at Dean for a minute before a big grin spread across his face, and Dean leaned away minutely. ‘That is  _ so _ sweet! If I’m capable of love, then I think I love you, Dean Winchester.’

Balthazar grimaced at Dean from behind Leviathan’s shoulder. He grunted as he was suddenly elbowed in the stomach.

‘Don’t ruin my moment,’ Leviathan hissed before throwing himself at Dean.

.-.-.-.-.

Gabriel was having another argument with Gilda inside the wagon as it moved steadily along the trail. It had become a regular occurrence, happening at least once every three hours.

Sam, Benny, and Charlie had all taken to sitting on the front bench to avoid the loudest of the shrieks and shouts. Benny slept between the pair of humans with a large brimmed hat pulled down over his eyes, waking only when the shouting would start anew.

Sam glanced down as Benny startled and settled back down, resting his head on Sam’s shoulder. ‘You gonna be okay for tonight?’ he asked.

Benny shrugged in response. ‘I ‘spect I’ll make due,’ he mumbled.

Sam looked over Benny’s hat to meet Charlie’s eyes.

Charlie licked her lips in thought. ‘You can have a quick bite from me later tonight,’ she said. She sighed as Benny sluggishly waved her off, mumbling incoherently. ‘Sorry about all this,’ she said quietly to Sam.

There was a loud bang from within the wagon, and Sam shook his head. ‘There was no way you could have known,’ he replied. ‘What are they even arguing about now, anyway?’

‘It was about the gears last time. I’m sleeping alone tonight because I picked the wrong one.’

Sam laughed as he recalled when the window behind them had slid open and Gilda thrust out a hand, demanding that Charlie ‘pick one.’ Charlie had chosen, and Gilda had given her the darkest glare she could manage.

‘How much farther, do you think?’ Charlie asked around a yawn. ‘Can’t wait to get a real night’s rest. Hell, even sleeping on the ground would be better than this.’

Sam nodded sympathetically. He was feeling the strain of nonstop travel as well. Anytime he had suggested stopping for a few hours of sleep, both Gabriel and Gilda had jumped down his throat. ‘Their minds are set,’ he said eventually. ‘I told you about that stuff Gabe me. I… I get it.’

Charlie sighed and leaned against Benny, earning a soft grunt from the vampire. ‘Think he’d hook me up if I asked? I’m kinda curious what it’d be like to remember it like it was yesterday. Might get me ‘n’ Gildy a little closer if I had a refresher on the Madness.’

‘Gabe’s more patient with me now. Or me with him. I can’t really tell, to be honest.’

‘If the two of you don’t shut up, I’m gonna take my chances with the horses,’ Benny grumbled.

.-.-.-.-.

Elsewhere, a man with yellow eyes left a shop, not giving a second glance to the pair of cats that watched him leave. Once he had rounded the corner, the cats stretched and made their way to the outskirts of the small town. They reached a large house and spent a bit of time sniffing around and rubbing along the front porch before moving to the side of the house and jumping in through an open window.

They wandered through the house to the kitchen, greeting other cats along the way. Inside the kitchen, a dark-haired man of average height stood at the counter preparing fish. Cats sat on every available surface and rubbed along his legs, mewling and purring. The pair moved closer, and one propped herself against the man’s leg, lightly batting as high as she could reach, meowing softly.

The man immediately stopped, and the rest of the cats quieted. He looked down at the cat, and she meowed a few more times before butting her head against his leg. He sighed and wiped his hands on the apron he wore, which had been decorated with an embroidered crown across the breast. He bent down to stroke the small cat from head to tail before tossing a bit of fish down for her and her companion.

‘No other choice… I’ll have to leave tonight. The meat won’t keep, so we’ll be having a nice feast. And then I suggest everyone make themselves scarce. No telling  _ what _ that maniac will do,’ he said as he moved from the counter to an icebox in the corner. He pulled out a tray that held wrapped cuts of various meats and brought it back to the counter. As he crudely chopped up each one, he tossed the chunks to the floor, much to the enjoyment of the surrounding cats. When he finished he popped a small piece of chicken into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully.

‘I think it’s time I paid Castiel a personal visit.’


End file.
